The government is set to lift the moratorium on the marine scientific research by foreigners in the country’s waters, particularly the Philippine Rise, previously known as the Benham Rise.
National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said they would resume the processing of permits for foreign marine research since it would be “good” for the nation to know more about its maritime domain.
“We will lift shortly the moratorium on marine scientific research by foreign government and institutions,” Esperon said. “Maritime scientific research is good for us and for other research institutions simply because we get to know more of the maritime domain,” he said.
In February 2018, President Duterte ordered the revocation of existing foreign research studies at the Philippine Rise to assert the country’s ownership of the area and directed the Navy to chase away any vessel violating his directive. In halting the foreign-led studies, Duterte wanted to give priority to Filipino researchers to explore the underwater plateau.
Amid plans to lift the moratorium on foreign maritime research, Esperon said interested parties must still get the permission of the Philippine government. Filipino scientists must also be permitted to board such foreign research vessels, he said.
“We are opening up again the processing permits for marine scientific research simply because we believe the academe have to be deployed and do research for us and for all of mankind to get to know more of our maritime domain,” he said.
“Scientific research are open to institutions and countries and by provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, they simply have to seek the permission of the host county. No need for agreements. We simply have to base our agreement on the MSR vessels that would come to our maritime domain,” he added.
Esperon admitted that the foreign maritime research was suspended by the President last year after some entities conducted research without the government consent.
Some applicants also refused to allow Filipino scientists to board their research vessels, he added. “If they don’t allow us then what benefit do we get out of it since they are supposed to deposit with us the findings and materials,” he said. (Genalyn Kabiling)
