CAMP AQUINO, Tarlac City – The Armed Forces Northern Luzon Command raised the Philippine flag over Talampas ng Pilipinas (Philippine Rise) to reinforce the country’s sovereign rights over the undersea feature in the Philippine Sea on Sunday, May 18.
SOLDIERS salute as the national flag is raised over the Philippine Rise on Sunday, May 18.
The activity was conducted aboard BRP Emilio Jacinto (PS35) by the Northern Luzon Naval Command under Nolcom’s operational control.
Two FA-50 fighter jets from the Philippine Air Force 5th Fighter Wing flew overhead during the ceremony, signaling air and maritime cooperation in defense of national interest.
The event formed part of the eighth anniversary commemoration of the official renaming of Benham Rise to Philippine Rise.
The government declared the feature as Talampas ng Pilipinas in on May 16, 2017 through Executive Order No. 25.
The site covers over 13 million hectares of seabed east of Luzon and falls within the country’s extended continental shelf recognized under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
“The Philippine Rise is not just part of our territory. It is part of our identity,” said Lt. Gen. Fernyl G. Buca, Nolcom commander.
“Raising our flag in these waters is a clear message that we are present and we are committed to protecting what belongs to the Filipino people,” he said.
The trip to Philippine Rise began on Friday, May 16, with the formal send-off of BRP Emilio Jacinto from Soiltech Pier in San Fernando City, La Union.
Senior military officers and maritime stakeholders attended the event, representing the country’s unified approach to protecting its maritime domains.
Nolcom, as a jointly engaged, sustainment-maintained, and readiness-trained force, continues to conduct maritime patrols, surveillance operations, and interagency coordination to deter illegal activities and secure strategic waters off Northern and Eastern Luzon.