P450 M allotted for Spratlys seaport

MANILA, Philippines - The government is spending P450 million next year to build a new seaport in Pag-asa Island in the disputed Spratly archipelago off Palawan, Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel said yesterday.

“Funding for the project has been included in the House-approved 2017 General Appropriations Act, under the Department of Transportation’s aggregate P3.98-billion spending program for the maritime sector,” he said.

The new port will vastly improve accessibility to the area and bolster the country’s claims in the West Philippine Sea.

“We support the port development project, which will surely help encourage human settlement in the remote Philippine island that now has fewer than 400 residents, mostly fishermen,” Pimentel said.

Pimentel urged the University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources to consider putting up a research station in Pag-asa.

He also asked the Department of Energy to find ways to provide the 37.2-hectare island with a renewable and stable source of electricity. At present, only a small generator set supplies some of the electricity needs of the island.

Located 518 kilometers northwest of Puerto Princesa City, Pag-asa belongs to the Kalayaan Island Group at the western section of the Spratly archipelago.

China is claiming the entire Spratly group, but the Philippines has been occupying Pag-asa since 1970. The island is the lone barangay of Kalayaan town, which is part of Palawan.

At present, Pag-asa is guarded by a small military detachment led by an officer with the rank of lieutenant. The Philippine Navy also has the Naval Station Emilio Liwanag in the island.

Pag-asa used to be a purely Philippine military installation until the government allowed civilians to settle there.

The island has an unpaved 1.3-kilometer airstrip, a one-classroom primary school and a five-bed clinic.

There have been suggestions in the House of Representatives to improve existing facilities in Kalayaan and to build more infrastructure as a manifestation of the country’s assertion of its sovereignty over the island.

PCG’s new vessel arrives Dec. 8

Meanwhile, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) will have a new vessel to be used to monitor activities in Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal.

The second brand new multi-role response vessel (MRRV) is expected to arrive in the Philippines from Japan on Dec. 8, according to PCG spokesman Commander Armand Balilo.

Balilo said the MRRV would be named BRP Malabrigo, after the Malabrigo Lighthouse located in Lobo, Batangas.

BRP Malabrigo was recently inspected by PCG personnel led by Fleet Commander Commodore Elson Hermogino and Lieutenant Commander Geronimo Tuvilla, the incoming commanding officer of the BRP Malabrigo.

Balilo said the PCG has successfully conducted a sea trial on the vessel and the assessment is “it is already ready to sail.”

The PCG is expected to receive 10 brand new MRRVs until 2018. These vessels would be part of the Parola Class patrol vessels of the maritime agency.

The MRRVs have a maximum approximate speed of 25 knots. The vessels are equipped with special features for search and rescue and law enforcement operations such as fire monitors, night vision camera, radio direction finder, a workboat and bullet-proof navigational bridge.

The PCG has been deploying vessels in the area to maintain the country’s presence at Panatag Shoal, which is also being claimed by China. There are about six Chinese Coast Guard vessels conducting their own patrol at the shoal.

The first MRRV of PCG, the BRP Tubbataha that arrived on Aug. 18, is one of the six ships assigned to alternately conduct patrol at Panatag Shoal, which is also called Bajo de Masinloc. 

Balilo said the BRP Malabrigo would assist the BRP Tubbataha, BRP Davao del Norte, BRP Pampanga and three monitoring, control and surveillance ships. These vessels are taking turns to patrol the exclusive economic zone of the country.  – With Evelyn Macairan