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PCG needs more patrol vessels, says exec


The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) needs more maritime vessels to continue patrolling its 15 districts around the country, an official said Thursday.

In Chino Gaston’s report on “24 Oras”, PCG spokesman Rear Admiral Armand Balilo said the coast guard only has three offshore patrol vessels.

“Mayroon tayong 15 districts station-wide at ang unang kailangan dyan ay 'yung offshore patrol vessels. Mayroon tayong station na kailangan gawing quick response vessels immediately that can be deployed and can respond to any emergencies and joint enforcement operations in the area,” he said.

(We have 15 station-wide and what we need for them are offshore patrol vessels. We also have stations that need quick response vessels immediately that can be deployed and can respond to any emergencies and joint enforcement operations in the area.)

Meanwhile, local shipbuilding companies, including Propmech, believes authorities will be able to strengthen its monitoring of the country’s territory if the patrol vessels and small fast crafts the government will procure are Filipino-made.

“It’s sad that a lot of our products still has to come from abroad. And, you never know what will happen in the future, whether supplies are difficult to get, whether is it hard to travel again, whether should there be conflict,” said Propmech Director Glenn Tong.

Balilo said the PCG is open to purchasing locally made vessels but most of their ships were procured through foreign soft loans where the suppliers are also from the country that provide the funds. -- Sundy Locus/BAP, GMA Integrated News

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