Philippines submits extended continental shelf claim in West Philippine Sea to UN

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines has formally submitted a claim to the United Nations, seeking recognition of its entitlement to an extended continental shelf (ECS) in the West Philippine Sea, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced on Saturday.

In an official statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), the DFA disclosed that the Philippine Mission to the UN in New York submitted a claim on June 15 to the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) "to register the country's entitlement to an extended continental shelf (ECS) in the West Palawan Region in the West Philippine Sea/South China Sea."

PHILIPPINES MAKES OFFICIAL SUBMISSION TO U.N.
ON ENTITLEMENT TO AN EXTENDED CONTINENTAL SHELF IN THE WEST PHILIPPINE SEA#DFAForgingAhead pic.twitter.com/WqFr0le7T2

— DFA Philippines ???????? (@DFAPHL) June 14, 2024

The CLCS is the body responsible for facilitating the implementation the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) regarding the establishment of the outer limits of the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles. 

The Philippines cited Article 76 of the UNCLOS, stating that a coastal state is "entitled to establish the outer limits of its continental shelf comprising the seabed and subsoil of the submarine areas extending beyond 200 nautical miles (NM) but not to exceed 350 NM from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured."

DFA Assistant Secretary for Maritime and Ocean Affairs Marshall Louis Alferez described the submission as a "declaration not only of the Philippines’ maritime entitlements under UNCLOS but also of the country’s commitment to the responsible application of its processes." 

He pointed out the importance of the award rendered by the arbitral tribunal on July 12, 2016, which validated the Philippines' maritime claims and rejected those exceeding the geographic and substantive limits defined by UNCLOS.

"While incidents on the surface of the waters attract much attention, the real importance lies beneath," Alferez said. 

"The seabed and subsoil extending from our archipelago to the furthest extent allowed by UNCLOS are rich with resources that will benefit our nation for generations. This submission is a vital step in securing our exclusive right to explore and exploit these natural resources," he added.

For Ambassador Antonio Lagdameo, permanent representative of the Philippine Mission to the United Nations in New York, the submission can "reinvigorate efforts of States to demonstrate their readiness to pursue UNCLOS processes in the determination of maritime entitlements and promote a rules-based international order."

According to the DFA, the National Mapping and Resource Information Agency (NAMRIA) led the effort, working for over 15 years to gather and process data needed for the submission. 

NAMRIA Administrator Peter Tiangco lauded its Extended Continental Shelf Technical Working Group (ECS-TWG) "for their work in gathering and processing of data on geodetic and hydrographic information, and geophysical and geological information to substantiate the submission."

The recent move marks the second time the Philippines has made a submission for an ECS entitlement. 

In April 2009, the country filed a partial submission for the Philippine Rise (formerly known as the Benham Rise). The United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf approved the Philippines' undisputed territorial claim to Philippine Rise in 2012.

Beijing claims almost the entirety of the South China Sea, brushing aside competing claims from several Southeast Asian nations including the Philippines and an international ruling that its stance has no legal basis.

To assert its stance, Beijing deploys coast guard and other boats to patrol the waters and has turned several reefs into artificial islands that it has militarized.

China Coast Guard vessels have used water cannon against Philippine boats multiple times in the contested waters, where there have also been collisions that injured several Filipino troops.

New China Coast Guard rules will take effect Saturday, allowing officers to detain foreigners in disputed areas of the South China Sea for up to 60 days without trial.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. previously said in a defiant speech that he would not yield to Chinese pressure. — with reports from Agence France-Presse