To emphasize the Philippines’ sovereign rights and jurisdiction in the contested area, the Malacañang on Saturday said that the government is thinking of renaming “Benham Rise” to “Philippine Rise.” Benham Rise, which is named after American Admiran Andrew Benham, is located east of Aurora province. The 13-million hectare underwater plateau is said to be rich in gas and mineral resources. The United Nations had earlier ruled that Benham Rise was part of the country’s exclusive economic zone, but China recently expressed that the Philippines cannot claim the area as its own territory.

Co, A. S. (2017, April 2). Palace mulls renaming Benham Rise to ‘PH Rise’. Panay News, p. 9.