Senator: Benham Rise research funded since 2016

SENATOR LOREN B. Legarda in a statement on Tuesday said she had allocated funds for the Philippine Rise (Benham Rise) expedition as early as 2016 and every year thereafter. Ms. Legarda said she did this in her capacity as chairperson of the Senate committee on finance. “In 2016, we already allocated funds for research in the Philippine Rise especially since initial explorations showed 100% coral cover in several sites. In 2017, we allocated P32 million for assessment and baseline activities… and then again for 2018, P60 million was allocated in the DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources) budget for the Philippine Rise — P30 million for geologic and offshore mapping under the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) and P30 million for scientific expedition and management of coastal habitat under the (DENR-Biodiversity Management Bureau),” said the senator. She noted further that the Department of Science and Technology (DoST) already did an exploration, mapping and assessment of deep water areas in the Philippine Rise from 2014-2016 with a total budget of P39.575 million. “We await the consolidated results of these research activities from our government agencies. Based on the initial information we received, the area shows great potential in terms of energy, mineral and other biological marine resources that are vital to harnessing energy and food security in our country, ” Ms. Legarda said.