Philippines seeks UN approval to extend its boundary in West Philippine Sea

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines has made a formal appeal to the United Nations to extend its boundaries further into the contested South China Sea, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced on Saturday.

In an official statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), the DFA disclosed that the Philippine Mission to the UN in New York submitted a claim on June 15 to the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) "to register the country's entitlement to an extended continental shelf (ECS) in the West Palawan Region in the West Philippine Sea/South China Sea."

PHILIPPINES MAKES OFFICIAL SUBMISSION TO U.N.
ON ENTITLEMENT TO AN EXTENDED CONTINENTAL SHELF IN THE WEST PHILIPPINE SEA#DFAForgingAhead pic.twitter.com/WqFr0le7T2

The CLCS is the body responsible for facilitating the implementation the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) regarding the establishment of the outer limits of the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles. 

The Philippines cited Article 76 of the UNCLOS, stating that a coastal state is "entitled to establish the outer limits of its continental shelf comprising the seabed and subsoil of the submarine areas extending beyond 200 nautical miles (NM) but not to exceed 350 NM from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured."

DFA Assistant Secretary for Maritime and Ocean Affairs Marshall Louis Alferez described the submission as a "declaration not only of the Philippines’ maritime entitlements under UNCLOS but also of the country’s commitment to the responsible application of its processes." 

He pointed out the importance of the award rendered by the arbitral tribunal on July 12, 2016, which validated the Philippines' maritime claims and rejected those exceeding the geographic and substantive limits defined by UNCLOS.

"While incidents on the surface of the waters attract much attention, the real importance lies beneath," Alferez said. 

"The seabed and subsoil extending from our archipelago to the furthest extent allowed by UNCLOS are rich with resources that will benefit our nation for generations. This submission is a vital step in securing our exclusive right to explore and