Benham Rise, now known as PHL Rise, declared Protected Food Supply Exclusive Zone

President Rodrigo Duterte has declared Benham Rise a Protected Food Supply Exclusive Zone, Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol said Thursday.

In a statement, Piñol, who made the proposal, said Duterte also agreed to rename Benham Rise as Philippine Rise last May 9.

"In addition, Pres. Duterte declared Philippine Rise as Protected Food Supply Exclusive Zone," Piñol said.

With the declaration, mining or oil explorations are now no longer allowed in the 13 million-hectare undersea region and biodiversity hot spot located east of Luzon, Piñol said.

"I defended to the President that rather than focus on searching for mining or oil activities (in the Philippine Rise), we have to protect it because I see a P25-billion (food supply) potential there," said Piñol.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana had earlier said China had conducted survey missions deep in the Benham Rise, although Beijing dismissed those concerns, saying its ships were simply passing through the waters there.

Piñol, who recently visited Benham Rise with members of the Philippine Coast Guard and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, also said the Food and Agriculture Organization found that the country loses about $30 billion yearly from illegal fishing and poaching.

According to him, Duterte also agreed to have the government build a facility such as a large cold storage area in Benham Bank, the shallowest portion of the region.

"This will serve as research facility and advance command post center in the area to avoid rampant cases of illegal fishing," Piñol said.

Piñol said Duterte tasked him and the Department of Agriculture to conduct a feasibility study in establishing a structure in Benham Rise.  —KBK, GMA News