Environmental groups on Thursday called on the government to exercise jurisdiction over the Philippine Rise by declaring part of it, the 17,000-hectare Benham Bank, as a “no-take” zone, where fishing and other human activity would be prohibited. On Wednesday, groups led by Oceana Philippines delivered a letter and a petition to protect the Philippine Rise to Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu. Oceana Philippines was joined by other environmentalists from groups like “Pangisda Natin Gawing Tama” (Panagat), Greenpeace coalition, World Wide Fund for Nature, Tambuyog and Nongovernmental Organizations for Fisheries Reform.

Andrade, J. I. (2018, February 16). Declare part of PH Rise ‘no take zone,’ Duterte urged. Philippine Daily Inquirer, p. A3.