AN interagency coordinating body will sail on Wednesday to the Philippine Rise to cast the first buoy and lay the country’s tricolor marker in what military officials called as a “historical event” in the country’s continental shelf.
The Philippine flag will be planted at the shallowest portion of the Benham Bank by the Area Task Force North (ATF-North), according to Armed Forces Northern Luzon Command (Nolcom) Spokesman Col. Isagani Nato.
The ATF-North is an interagency coordinating body that plans and executes programs of the government in relation to maritime domain awareness, maritime security patrols and maritime presence over the Bajo de Masinloc in the West Philippine Sea, Luzon Strait in Batanes and the Philippine Rise east of Aurora province.
The casting of the buoy and the laying of the country’s flag followed the send off on Tuesday by President Duterte of about 50 Filipino marine scientists to conduct underwater research in the Philippine Rise.
“A flotilla from the ATF-North, which is headed by Lt. Gen. Emmanuel Salamat [Commander of Nolcom], will sail to Philippine Rise after President Duterte has sent off the all-Filipino marine researchers to the unexploited maritime area a day before,” Nato said.
“A flag-raising ceremony will be conducted onboard BRP Tarlac [LD601] with all the stakeholders, local government units [LGUs] and Nolcom personnel, simultaneous with the laying of a flag marker by volunteer Filipino divers at the shallowest point of Benham…,while waving their Philippine flags underwater,” he added.
A fly-by of aircraft from different agencies conducting the maritime air patrol (Marapat) will be done twice in timing with the singing of national anthem and after the program proper.
Defense Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana, who will be joined by other participants, will deliver the inspiring message to the sailor, soldiers and airmen of the Nolcom for the activity.
The program will be concluded with the casting of the buoy above the flag marker lay previously by divers. The buoy was designed based on international standards and fabricated by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), headed by Director Eduardo Gongona.
“This undertaking simply reveals to our fellowmen that in unity, we are strong, and that we are passionate in defense and protection of our sovereignty,” Salamat said.
Nato said that the activities form part of commemorating the awarding of the Philippine Rise by the UN Tribunal to the Philippines, recognizing it as part of the country’s exclusive economic zone and extended continental shelf.