For the first time yesterday, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) patrolled Benham Rise, following the reported presence of Chinese vessels in the area declared by the United Nations as part of the extended continental shelf of the Philippines. The PCG said a Britten Norman Islander aircraft was sent to the area to conduct maritime domain survey. No PCG station or facility has ever been put up in Benham Rise, a 13-million-hectare area off the coast of Aurora province that has been a usual pathway of typhoons from the Pacific Ocean.

Punay, E., Romero, P., & Ronda, R. A. (2017, April 3). After Navy, Coast Guard patrols Benham Rise. The Philippine Star, pp. 3, 8.