Safeguarding a treasure – the Philippine rise

Atty. Gloria Estenzo-Ramos

The weeks past was one of tremendous preparation, anticipation and excitement, especially for those in various government agencies and in the civil society organizations working with them, to achieve a desired goal — for the President to proclaim the Philippine Rise, formerly known as the Benham Rise, as a protected area.

The declaration is very important.

It triggers the area’s operative governance mechanisms and structure under the provisions of RA 7586, the National Integrated Protected Areas System Act, and relevant laws, “to enhance biological diversity and protected against destructive human exploitation.”

Every citizen must know that the Philippine Rise is a very special and unique national and global heritage of humanity. Alexandra Cousteau described the Philippine Rise as a “treasure today, and it will even be more of a treasure tomorrow.”

Consisting of a 24.4-million-hectare undersea region in the northeastern part of the Philippines, including a 13-million hectare extended continental shelf, our claim to it was validated in 2012 by the United Nations’ Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf, as the Philippines’ newest territory.

Contrary to what the Presidential spokesperson said, Filipino scientists had been conducting research in the Philippine Rise for years.

The expeditions in 2014 and in 2016 were led by government scientists, with Oceana in the Philippines, as the sole non-government organization participating in May 2016, contributing expedition equipment and technical assistance.

Scientists discovered a 100% coral cover in some areas in the Benham Bank, the shallowest portion of the Philippines.

They reported a vast mesophotic reef ecosystem — found at depths of up to 70 meters (200 feet) in Benham Bank.

This can serve as a potential source and refuge for shallow reef organisms that may be affected by climate change. More than 150 species of reef fish were identified.

It is the only known spawning area of the Pacific bluefin tuna, one of the most expensive fish in the world.

In December 2016, 196 State parties to the Convention of Biological Diversity adopted the Philippine Rise as an Ecologically and Biologically Significant Marine Area for its biological productivity, diversity, and naturalness.

A clear victory for the Philippine Rise, our oceans and our people were attained on May 15 when the President, upon the essential endorsement of Secretary Roy Cimatu of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, signed Proclamation No. 489 declaring a total of 352,390 hectares of the Philippine Rise, now known as the Philippine Rise Marine Resource Reserve, as protected area

The multi-stakeholder collaboration including the 26,000 plus online petitioners and growing numbers of strong advocates and partners was the key.

We thank all of you, and you know who you are.

The challenges, as always, continue, even in our own backyard.

There are still decision-makers who must learn and appreciate the importance of ecological sustainability as operating framework for the protection of our natural life-support system.