United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea ____________________________________________________________ CCoommmmiissssiioonn oonn tthhee LLiimmiittss ooff tthhee CCoonnttiinneennttaall SShheellff RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE COMMISSION ON THE LIMITS OF THE CONTINENTAL SHELF IN REGARD TO THE SUBMISSION MADE BY THE PHILIPPINES IN RESPECT OF THE BENHAM RISE REGION ON 8 APRIL 2009 Recommendations prepared by the Subcommission established for the consideration of the Submission made by the Philippines Adopted by the Subcommission on 2 April 2012, and submitted to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf for consideration and approval by the Commission Adopted by the Commission on 12 April 2012 (page left intentionally blank) Recommendations of the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf in regard to the Submission made by the Philippines in respect of the Benham Rise Region on 8 April 2009 Page ii TABLE OF CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................... 1 II. CONTENTS OF THE SUBMISSION .............................................................................................. 3 A. Original Submission .................................................................................................................. 3 B. Communications and additional material................................................................................... 3 III. EXAMINATION OF THE SUBMISSION BY THE SUBCOMMISSION ............................................ 3 A. Examination of the format and completeness of the Submission ............................................... 3 B. Preliminary analysis of the Submission ..................................................................................... 3 C. Main scientific and technical examination of the Submission..................................................... 3 IV. GENERAL PRINCIPLES ON WHICH THESE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE BASED ..................... 4 V. RECOMMENDATIONS.................................................................................................................. 4 1. Geographical and geological region description ..................................................................... 4 2. Notes verbales submitted by other States .............................................................................. 5 3. Submerged prolongation of the land mass and entitlement to the continental shelf beyond 200 M..................................................................................................................................... 5 4. The determination of the foot of the continental slope ............................................................ 5 4.1 Considerations................................................................................................................ 6 4.2 Recommendations.......................................................................................................... 9 5. The establishment of the outer edge of the continental margin............................................. 10 5.1 The application of the 60 M distance formula................................................................ 10 5.2 Recommendations........................................................................................................ 10 6. The delineation of the outer limits of the continental shelf .................................................... 10 6.1 The application of constraint criteria ............................................................................. 10 6.1.1 The construction of the distance constraint line ..................................................... 10 6.2 The outer limits of the continental shelf..........................................................................11 6.3 Recommendations........................................................................................................ 12 ANNEX I TABLES .............................................................................................................................. 13 ANNEX II LIST OF THE MATERIAL CONTAINED IN THE ORIGINAL SUBMISSION OF THE PHILIPPINES MADE TO THE COMMISSION ON 8 APRIL 2009 AND REVISED ON 17 JUNE 2009............................................................................................................................................ 21 ANNEX III LIST OF ADDITIONAL MATERIAL SUBMITTED TO THE COMMISSION BY THE PHILIPPINES .............................................................................................................................. 22 ANNEX IV LIST OF DOCUMENTS SUPPLIED TO THE DELEGATION BY THE SUBCOMMISSION. 24 ANNEX V SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE COMMISSION ON THE LIMITS OF THE CONTINENTAL SHELF IN REGARD TO THE SUBMISSION MADE BY THE PHILIPPINES IN RESPECT OF THE BENHAM RISE REGION ON 8 APRIL 2009................................................. 25 Recommendations of the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf in regard to the Submission made by the Philippines in respect of the Benham Rise Region on 8 April 2009 Page iii LIST OF TERMS AND ABBREVIATIONS Acronyms DOALOS Division for Ocean Affairs and Law of the Sea, Office of Legal Affairs FOS Foot of the continental slope Abbreviated Terms Critical FOS Points Foot of the continental slope points that generate formula fixed points on the line of the outer limits of the continental shelf FOS Points Foot of the continental slope points Depth Constraint The constraint line constructed at 100 M from the 2500 metre isobaths in accordance with article 76, paragraphs 5 and 6, of the Convention Distance Constraint The constraint line constructed at 350 M from the territorial sea baseline in accordance with article 76, paragraphs 5 and 6, of the Convention M Nautical mile Relevant FOS point Foot of the continental slope points that generate formula fixed points on the outer edge of the continental margin that are necessary for the construction of the outer limits of the continental shelf Secretary-General The Secretary-General of the United Nations Sediment Thickness Points determined from the application of Article 76, paragraph 4(a)(i), of the Formula Points Convention (also informally referred to as Gardiner points) Territorial Sea The baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured Baselines The Guidelines The Scientific and Technical Guidelines of the Commission (CLCS/11 and CLCS/11/Add.1) The Commission The Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf The Convention The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982 The Rules of Procedure The Rules of Procedure of the Commission (CLCS/40/Rev.1) 60 M Formula Points Points determined from the application of article 76, paragraph 4(a)(ii), of the Convention (also informally referred to as Hedberg points) 200 M Limit The line at 200 M from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured Use of Terms Determine the foot of the continental slope Delineate the outer edge of the continental margin (in terms of construction of the outer edge of the continental margin by establishing and connecting fixed points) Delineate the outer limits of the continental shelf (in terms of construction of the outer limits of the continental shelf by establishing and connecting fixed points) Establish the outer edge of the continental margin (in terms of following procedure in the Convention for submitting the outer edge of the continental margin as basis for the outer limits of the continental shelf) Establish the outer limits of the continental shelf (in terms of following procedure in the Convention for the submission of the outer limits of the continental shelf) Recommendations of the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf in regard to the Submission made by the Philippines in respect of the Benham Rise Region on 8 April 2009 Page iv I. INTRODUCTION 1 On 8 April 2009, the Republic of the Philippines ("the Philippines") submitted to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf through the Secretary-General of the United Nations, information on the limits of the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured, in accordance with article 76, paragraph 8 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982. 2 The Convention entered into force for the Philippines on 16 November 1994. 3 The Submission of the Philippines pertained to the Benham Rise Region.1 According to the submitting State this is a partial submission which is without prejudice to the right of the Philippines to make other submissions for other areas at a future time.2 4 On 21 April 2009, the Secretary-General issued Continental Shelf Notification CLCS.22.2009.LOS in order to give due publicity to the Executive Summary of the Submission in accordance with rule 50 of the Rules of Procedure of the Commission. In conformity with rule 51 of the Rules of Procedure, the consideration of the Submission made by the Philippines was included in the agenda of the twenty-fourth session of the Commission. 5 The Commission received no notes verbales from other States in relation to the Submission. 6 The presentation of the Submission to the Commission was made on 25 August 2009 by Mr. Hilario G. Davide Jr., Permanent Representative of the Republic of the Philippines to the United Nations, and Ms. Minerva Jean A. Falcon, Ambassador, Department of Foreign Affairs. The Delegation