The Philippine government has submitted the seabed chart of the Philippine (Benham) Rise to the United Nations, a move that Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino praised on Monday.

According to Tolentino, this submission will help advance development and exploration in this resource-rich submerged landmass located in the West Philippine Sea. The area spans approximately 13 million hectares.

"With an expanse of 13 million hectares, imagine how much oil, natural gas and methane deposits can be drawn from the Talampas ng Pilipinas," Tolentino said, referring to the sea region by its official Filipino name.

The area, which lies off Aurora province, contains potentially valuable natural resources that could be extracted for the country's benefit. The submission of the undersea map represents a significant step for Philippine interests in the region.

The move comes as other countries also focus on developing their natural resources. In California, scientists recently discovered 18 million tons of lithium beneath the Salton Sea, enough to power batteries for 382 million electric vehicles and valued at approximately $540 billion.

Tolentino noted that submitting the map to the International Seabed Authority, a specialized UN body, will strengthen the Philippines' claim of ownership over the area. The International Seabed Authority was established to regulate deep-sea exploration activities.

The submission was specifically made to:

• Confirm Philippine sovereignty over the area
• Enable future resource exploration and development
• Document the seabed features officially with international authorities

The Philippine Rise, previously known as Benham Rise, has been a focus of the government's efforts to assert maritime rights and explore potential natural resources in Philippine waters.