Gov’t agencies urged to expedite giving Filipino names to Benham Rise features

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Thursday urged government agencies to immediately give Filipino names to the five underwater features in the Philippine Rise that had been given names by China.

Gatchalian said that during the hearing of the Senate economic affairs committee they discussed the legality of renaming the features for internal purposes.

“We discussed the naming of the underwater features at lumalabas na wala naman bawal para i-rename natin for our internal purposes,” he said in an interview after the hearing.

“I suggested to the DFA [Department of Foreign Affairs] and NAMRIA [National Mapping and Resource Information Authority] to immediately change the name of the five features to Filipino names because it seems like inunahan tayo sa mga features na ‘yun na nasa loob ng exclusive economic zone natin,” he added.

Gatchalian noted that Benham Rise itself was renamed Philippine Rise recently.

“Discovered in 1933 by Andrew Benham and pinalitan natin last year to Philippine Rise. So same concept for the five underwater features na Chinese ang pangalan. We have to change the five underwater features to Filipino so we can make it clear that is found inside our territory, our country,” he said.

Gatchalian said there are two steps in the renaming process: internal and external.

For the internal process, he said that the recommendation must be made by the Department of Foreign Affairs to President Rodrigo Duterte, who will then issue an executive order.

He expressed hope the renaming can be done within the year.

The second step is external and will take time as it has to go through the International Hydrographic Organization.

“‘Yung sa IHO that will take time and the timetable na titignan ng NAMRIA ay this September pa. Meaning, they will file everything in September para ma-rename naman internationally itong five features ng Philippine Rise,” he said.

“Internal is through EO and ‘yung external through NAMRIA. Right now nasa National Security Council ‘yung P120 million na inallocate ng Kongreso at Senado for Philippine Rise Management,” he added.

Gatchalian said they will pursue the creation of the Benham Rise Development Authority to make sure that all of the activities in the Philippine Rise are well coordinated.

“Para hindi masisira ‘yung biodiversity, ‘yung kalikasan sisiguraduhin natin na lahat ay maayos at hindi makakasira,” he said.

He said one of the important features of the BRDA would be the power to approve and disapprove activities in the area.

“Importante na alam ng Development Authority lahat ng nangyayari doon. Dahil dapat ma-maintain yun environment and biodiversity in that area. So for example, may mga gusto mag drill or mag explore ng oil and gas, kailangan muna nila kumuha ng clearance sa BRDA  to ensure we maintain the biodiversity in that area,” he said. — BM, GMA News