AFP, tiniyak na poprotektahan ang Philippine Rise; Routine patrol, patuloy na isinasagawa ng Northern Luzon Command sa Philippine Rise

Transcript

00:00The Armed Forces of the Philippines will hold a send-off ceremony

00:03for the 7th anniversary of the Philippine Rise.

00:06It will also mark the establishment of the sovereignty of the Philippines.

00:09Ron Lagusan has the details.

00:15The show of the sovereignty of the Philippines

00:17and the readiness to protect the Philippine Rise.

00:20This is the message that the Armed Forces of the Philippines

00:23will convey for the 7th anniversary of the Philippine Rise.

00:26Along with the deployment of BRPO Zerizal, a guided missile frigate,

00:30AFP Northern Luzon Command Commander-Lieutenant General Fernil Buca said

00:34that this is part of strengthening the surveillance

00:37in the occupying territory of the country.

00:40The hope of our Chief of Staff and the whole AFP

00:44to maintain an effective presence in the Philippine waters.

00:48Today's commemoration of the 7th anniversary of the Philippine Rise

00:51is a proof that we are ready to protect and preserve our maritime domain.

00:57The Philippine Rise is an undersea feature

00:59that is part of the continental shelf of the country

01:01that is in the northern part of Luzon.

01:03It is very important for us to commemorate this

01:07because it signifies the recognition

01:12of this part of our maritime domain

01:16that belongs to the Philippines.

01:18We are asserting our rights to this territory.

01:22That means we act on it as ours,

01:27we protect it, we develop it.

01:29The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea or UNCLOS

01:33recognized that the Philippines has the right to the Philippine Rise.

01:36We will defend our maritime domain.

01:39The Philippine Rise is our seas.

01:42We have the right to oversee and discover it and protect it

01:46because the Philippine Rise is our future.

01:49We will fight for our rights.

01:51This includes the continuous care of the rich marine biodiversity in the area.

01:56That is why the routine patrol of the Northern Luzon Command will continue.

02:00Rod Lagustad for Pambansang TV in Bagong, Philippines.