The Philippines filed with the U.N. a claim on Saturday for an extended continental shelf in the South China Sea. This is a waterway that has seen escalating maritime disputes between the Philippines and China.

Marshall Louis Alferez said, "Today, we secure our future through the manifestation of our exclusive rights to explore and exploit our natural resources under our ECS entitlement".

China claims nearly the entire South China Sea. This includes parts claimed by Brunei Malaysia Taiwan and Vietnam. The strategic waterway is rich in fish and oil deposits. It also has natural gas reserves.

Beijing has rejected the 2016 ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration that China's broad claims lack legal foundation.

The Chinese embassy in Manila has not responded to a comment request on the U.N. document filed Saturday.

China's coastguard increased its use of water cannons, collision and ramming techniques and, according Manila, a military grade laser in its confrontations against Philippine government and fisheries vessels. The Philippines and its allies consider an armada Chinese fishing boats to be sea militia.

The Philippines registered its right to a continental shelf extension in the West Palawan Region, facing the South China Sea.

The foreign ministry reported that the submission was approved by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and follows a thorough technical and scientific analysis of the continental shelf of the West Philippine Sea. This is a portion of the South China Sea located within its exclusive economic zone of 200 nautical miles.

The Philippines has said that it is using its right under the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea in order to determine the outer limit of its continental shelf. This includes the seabed, subsoil and submarine area up to 350 nautical mile.

In 2012, the United Nations confirmed that Benham Rise off the Philippines east coast, which was not disputed with China, is part of the Philippines extended continental shelf. Reporting by Neil Jerome Morales, Editing by William Mallard