Govt to lift ban on foreign research
Credit to Author: Catherine S. Valente, TMT| Date: Fri, 25 Oct 2019 16:44:03 +0000
The Philippine government is set to lift the ban on marine scientific research by foreign vessels and institutions in the country’s waters, President Rodrigo Duterte’s security adviser said on Friday.
National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said the lifting of the moratorium on foreign marine research would be “good” for the country.
“We will build a national academic research fleet and we will lift shortly the moratorium on marine scientific research by foreign government and institutions,” Esperon told reporters.
“Maritime scientific research is good for us and for other research institutions simply because we get to know more of the maritime domain,” he added.
In February 2018, Duterte halted all marine explorations by foreign entities in the Philippine (Benham) Rise and instead gave priority to Filipino scientists.
Foreign researchers may do scientific research if they secured a permit from the Philippine government.
Esperon said Filipino scientists must also be permitted to board such foreign research vessels.
“Scientific research are open to institutions and countries and by provisions of the Unclos (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea), they simply have to seek the permission of the host country. No need for agreements. We simply have to base our agreement on the MSR vessels that would come to our maritime domain,” he added.
Esperon admitted that the foreign maritime research was suspended by the President last year after some entities conducted research without the government’s approval.
“Some applicants would claim that we have denied their permits, but the truth was they were not willing to allow Filipino scientists to board the scientific research vessels,” he said.
“If they don’t allow us then what benefit do we get out of it since they are supposed to deposit with us the findings and materials,” he added.