Philippine flag emplaced on Philippine Rise

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Monday said the Philippine flag has been emplaced at the Philippine Rise Monday morning as part of the country celebration of the 119th Independence Day.

“Natuloy ito (sa Philippine Rise) and meron tayong ceremonial event sa barko natin,” AFP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla said.

“[May flag-raising din] sa lahat ng lugar natin sa WPS,” he added.

A Philippine flag encased in a fiberglass was placed on the underwater plateau, formerly called Benham Rise, with a depth of 57 meters by divers from the AFP, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), and civilian volunteer divers.

Lt. Col. Isagani Nato, Northern Luzon Command spokesperson, said in a statement that the ship deck flag ceremony was conducted onboard the Philippine Navy's newest and biggest vessel, the LD602 BRP Davao Del Sur.

“The activity intends to assert our patriotic ownership of this maritime zone and raise awareness of its strategic value,” Nato said.

The Philippine Rise is not within the disputed South China Sea and the Philippines has the sovereign right to explore and exploit all the natural resources found in it as part of the country’s extended continental shelf, he added.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana is set to visit the flag-hoisting site on June 15.

President Rodrigo Duterte renamed the underwater region from Benham Rise to Philippine Rise last month following sightings of a Chinese survey ship in the territory.

China had denied that the ship was surveying the Philippine Rise. —ALG, GMA News