Philippines makes case for extended seabed claim at UN
The Philippines has formally presented a claim to the United Nations to extend its continental shelf in the West Palawan Region. If successful, the claim would grant Manila sovereign rights over seabed resources like oil, gas, and minerals beyond its current exclusive economic zone.
Why it matters
This move is a significant step in the Philippines' efforts to secure resource rights in the contested South China Sea through international legal frameworks.
MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines' 15-year effort to claim seabed rights outside its exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea came before a United Nations body this week, in a bid that could add thousands of square kilometers of seafloor area under Manila's resource jurisdiction.
In a statement on Wednesday, July 29, the Department of Foreign Affairs announced the Philippines has officially presented its extended continental shelf claim for the West Palawan Region before the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf in New York.
The oral presentation comes after the Philippines formally deposited its claim with the UN in June 2024. In it, Manila is seeking recognition of its rights over the seabed and subsoil beyond 200 nautical miles from its baselines - the outer edge of the EEZ - but no farther than 350 nautical miles.
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