DA secures Duterte's go signal to proceed with Benham Rise exploration

The Department of Agriculture (DA) has secured the go signal of President Rodrigo Duterte to proceed with an exploration of the Benham Rise next week.

Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said in a Facebook post on Friday that Duterte "has given his clearance and blessing to the planned voyage" scheduled on May 5 (Friday), to May 7 (Sunday).

"Go ahead and discover what could be done to protect the area," Piñol posted, quoting Duterte as saying.

The Philippine government last month stressed that the country has indisputable and sovereign right over the area, a sprawling potentially resource-rich undersea landmass off the country's northeast coast which no other country is claiming.

This was made after Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana revealed that a Chinese survey ship was spotted on several occasions in the Philippine-claimed territory.

Piñol said he will lead the expedition, along with Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Director Eduardo Gongona, with the Research Vessel MV DA-BFAR as the mother ship.

The operation will also have at least four other smaller DA-BFAR vessels, and some 12 Pagbabago fiberglass fishing boats.

The expedition will start in Infanta, Quezon, where 38-footer Pagbabago fiberglass fishing boats will be awarded to Filipino fishermen in the area. —Jon Viktor D. Cabuenas/ALG, GMA News