From the article: Benham Rise, also known as Benham

Plateau, is a seismically active undersea region east of

Luzon, off the provinces of Isabela and Aurora.
Formed by intraplate igneous activity, the Benham Rise
region spans about 24.4 million hectareswith 11.4
million hectares within the countrys exclusive economic
zone and
13 million hectares
as extended
continental shelf
(ECS).
From the article: (continued..)
The Benham Rise region, a massive formation of basalt, a
common volcanic rock, has been shown to have natural gas
deposits and manganese nodules that, according to former
Environment Secretary Ramon Paje, is vital in the
production of steel.
The underwater geological formation is composed of
Benham Rise, Narra Spur and Molave Spur all
constituting a volcanic plateau standing about 3,500
meters above the surrounding seafloor at its crest, and
about 500 m above the surrounding seafloor along its
northern and eastern margins.
The shallowest part in Benham Rise, which is less than 50
m deep, is called the Benham Bank. ...
From the article: (continued..)
In an expedition in May 2016, marine scientists observed
in Benham Bank a 100-percent coral cover in several sites,
with an impressive field of plate corals. They also found a
dazzling array of soft and hard corals, fish, algae and
sponges.
We saw terraces of corals as far as the eye could see. Its
so exciting to know that we have such a vast and pristine
coral reef ecosystem within Philippine territory, Marianne
Pan-Saniano, a marine scientist at Oceana Philippines, was
quoted in the organizations newsletter in February.
Benham Rise, which is connected to the eastern margin of
Luzon through the Palanan and Bicol saddles, is enclosed
by the coordinates 11930E to 13200E and 1210N to
2030N latitude. ...
From the article: (continued..)
It lies within the continental shelf of the Philippines as defined by
the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos).
Under the Unclos, a coastal states exclusive economic zone
extends 370 kilometers (200 nautical miles) from its continental
shelf, while its extended continental shelf (ECS) extends for
another 278 km (150 nautical miles).
In 2012, the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf of
the United Nations adopted in full the Philippines submission for
an ECS in the Benham Rise region.
The ECS is a part of the seabed, not including the waters, which
holds mineral and genetic resources. The ECS in the Benham Rise
region has an area of 135,506 sq km (13.5 million hectares),
equivalent to about half of the countrys land area. Inquirer
#