More funds for facilities underscore gov't protection of territories
Philippine News Agency
By Priam Nepomuceno
January 21, 2025, 2:03 pm
MANILA -- The allocation of PHP3.03 billion in funds to beef up the country's infrastructure in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) highlights government efforts to protect the country's vast territories, a ranking naval official said on Tuesday.
"The appropriations allocated by the national government for our island features in the WPS is a manifestation of the government's thrust to ensure our forces are secured and sustained as they implement the CADC (Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept)," Philippine Navy spokesperson for the WPS, Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, said in a message to the Philippine News Agency.
He said it highlights the Marcos administration's guarantee that "not one square inch" of Philippine territory will be given up.
Earlier, Surigao 2nd District Rep. Johnny Pimentel said Congress has earmarked PHP1.65 billion to develop the Pag-asa Island airport and PHP300 million for the shelter port.
An extra PHP1.08 billion will be for the second phase of the Lawak Island shelter port.
With a land area of 37.2 hectares, Pag-asa is the largest in the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG).
Lawak, with a land area of 7.93 hectares, is the fourth largest in the KIG and lies 169 km east of Pag-asa.
With an aggregate land area of 83.89 hectares, the KIG also includes the islets of Likas, Parola, Kota, Patag and Panata. The island group also covers Ayungin Shoal (Second Thomas Shoal), Balagtas Reef (Irving Reef) and Rizal Shoal (Commodore Reef).
The Municipality of Kalayaan was created in the KIG under Palawan province by virtue of a presidential decree issued by President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr. in 1978. (PNA)
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