Military to plant Philippine flag at Benham Rise on Independence Day

June 8, 2017

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Northern Luzon Command (NOLCOM) is set to emplace the Philippine flag at Benham Rise on Independence Day. “The Northern Luzon Command (NOLCOM) intends to emplace the Philippine flag at the underwater plateau, the Philippine Ridge on June 12, 2017,” Lt. Col. Isagani Nato, public information officer of the NOLCOM, said Thursday. “The historical endeavor is a joint interagency and multi-stakeholder effort with divers from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and civilian volunteer divers,” he added. Nato said the flag that will be planted is made of fiberglass while its pole will be made of stainless steel. He also noted Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana will join the activity on June 15. “The second part of the activity is a visit of the Secretary of National Defense to the flag hoisting site on June 15, 2017,” Nato said. “The Ship Deck Flag Ceremony will be onboard the Philippine Navy's newest and biggest vessel BRP Davao Del Sur,” he added. Nato said the “activity intends to assert our patriotic ownership of this maritime zone and raise awareness of its strategic value.” “The Philippine Ridge is not among the areas in dispute with neighboring countries and the Philippines has the sovereign right to explore and exploit all the natural resources found in the Philippine Ridge as part of its extended continental shelf (ECS),” he said. “During the 14 th  cabinet meeting held on April 3, 2017 at the Aguinaldo State Dining Room, Malacañan Palace, President Duterte issued the directive to rename Benham Rise to “Philippine Rise” and for the AFP to put symbols of ownership in the Philippine Ridge,” he added. (Robina Asido/DMS)