BRP San Juan (56 meter) a Tenix class patrol vessel (photo : Timawa)
West Phl Sea
Base to be Fortified
MANILA,
Philippines - Apart from repairing their air and sea assets, a Philippine Coast
Guard (PCG) official yesterday said a portion of the P1.5-billion fund
allocated by the government for the maritime agency would be used to construct
a support base at the Western Philippine Sea to immediately respond to sea
emergencies in the area.
Coast Guard
vice commandant for operations Rear Admiral Luis Tuason Jr. yesterday said they
were grateful for the full support being given by President Aquino and
Transportation Secretary Manuel Roxas II to the Coast Guard.
“We are
thankful to Secretary Roxas for his full-blast support to the PCG. Improving
the capability of the PCG would help us fully implement the projects and
programs of the Aquino administration,” Tuason said.
He said a
portion of the P1.5 billion to be released to the Coast Guard would be used to
set up a support base in Ulugan Bay in Palawan. At the moment, the Coast Guard
has a district in Palawan, but it is facing the eastern side of the province.
It is also supported by five stations and 17 detachments.
Apart from
being the largest province in the country, Palawan also hosts the Malampaya
natural gas project.
“It would be
quicker for quick response and law enforcement activities in the West coast of
Palawan... especially if there is a problem in the Malampaya project or other
projects of national government, we would have a faster response time,” Tuason
said
He said the
support base would also provide immediate shelter for ships during bad weather
in the area.
The Coast
Guard might also build a hangar for their helicopter and a pier for their
ships.
Tuason said
the support base would also be useful during inspections and there might also
be instances when the growing oil and gas exploration in Palawan would create
problems and the maritime agency should be quick to deploy its assets to
address situations such as maritime pollution.
“We can
easily do that if we are near the western side (of Palawan),” he said.
The
government is expected to give the P1.5 billion from its share of the Malampaya
fund to upgrade the Coast Guard assets within the year or next year.
Part of the
money would be used to repair two of their 56-meter vessel and one 35-meter
vessel. They could also have one helicopter and one islander fixed.
It is also
part of their plan to purchase M35 trucks that are necessarily during heavy flooding
in Metro Manila.
“This would
be useful for land rescue, when we need to go to flooded areas. We could use
this to transport our divers,” Tuason said.
Should there
be more available funds, Tuason said the Coast Guard would hire additional
personnel.
Apart from
the funds from Malampaya, the Coast Guard under the leadership of its
commandant Vice Admiral Edmund Tan is also coordinating with the National
Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) for the purchase of brand new
vessels.
“There is
already an ongoing deliberation for 10 units of 40-meter vessels for the PCG.
In due time, this would be referred to Japan wherein five vessels might be
constructed in Japan while the other five units in Cebu. These vessels would be
brand new,” he said.
This is part
of the agreement between the government of the Philippines and Japan.
“We are also
hoping that we would be able to get a grant. We are requesting them to
construct two bigger vessels, measuring 80 to 100 meters, to be constructed in
Japan...We would be grateful because they know that we are also in need of
those ships,” he said.
Tuason added
the 10-meter ship would better ensure the safety of the Coast Guard’s search
and rescue personnel during operation.
(PhilStar)
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