RECENT developments in the maritime sector, the massive oil spill from a sunken tanker in Oriental Mindoro that has already affected four provinces, and the continued Chinese incursions and aggressions in waters within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone highlight the need to modernize the fleet of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to make it more responsive to emerging sea emergency trends, Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada said.
“Imbes na magturuan o magsisihan sa nangyaring pagkalat ng oil slick dulot ng paglubog ng MT Princess Empress, hanapin natin ang solusyon dahil mauulit at mauulit ang mga ganitong aksidente,” Estrada said.
In filing Senate Bill No. 2016 or the proposed Philippine Coast Guard Modernization Act, the Chairperson of the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security said it is high time that the country’s oldest and only humanitarian armed service be upgraded in terms of logistical support.
Estrada took cognizance of the recent revelation of PCG officials that the agency’s current assets are not enough to patrol the country’s territorial waters and protect Filipino fishermen against foreign aggressors.
“The PCG is vested with powers to perform five major functions of maritime safety, security, search and rescue, law enforcement, and environmental protection. With the colossal task of enforcing regulations in accordance with maritime international conventions, treaties, and national laws within the country’s jurisdiction, surely a ‘fleet’ of merely three offshore patrol vessels would not suffice to carry out their perilous and critical tasks,” the veteran lawmaker pointed out.
The bill proposes a 15-year modernization program to allow the PCG to significantly upgrade its assets, further expand its capabilities and ensure the fulfillment of its mandate as provided under the laws.
Estrada’s proposed modernization program aims to hasten response time during search and rescue operations and contribute substantially to securing maritime zones and territorial waters from terrorism, lawlessness, and other threats to national security and territory among many others.
In modernizing the PCG, Estrada’s proposal includes the restructuring and streamlining of its units and offices to simplify procedures, professionalization of its human resource, acquisition and upgrade of basic and support facilities for administrative and operational services, and procurement of modern and state-of-the-art equipment.
As the “guardian of the sea,” Estrada said the PCG should have a well-maintained vessel interfaced with the latest cutting-edge technology for ease of operation, remotely operated submersibles equipment for deep-sea search, retrieval, and monitoring operations, weapons that are marine environment resistant and designed primarily to disable hostile personnel and equipment, uninterruptible internal communications seamlessly interoperable with other agencies as well as communications with commercial vessels operating within the Philippine maritime zones and territorial waters and other technologically current navigational equipment.
“The country’s EEZ is a maritime expanse larger than our total land area. It is imperative for the government to have an effective Coast Guard organization that can protect and preserve the diverse resources found in our maritime territory and defend the same against intruders, lawless elements, and destructive activities,” said Estrada.
Modernisasyon ng Coast Guard, itataguyod ni Jinggoy
BUNSOD ng mga pinakahuling kaganapan sa maritime sector, itinataguyod ni Senador Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada ang modernisasyon ng Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) upang makaagapay ito at agarang makatugon sa mga maritime emergencies.
Tinukoy ni Estrada ang aksidenteng kinasangkutan ng oil tanker na lumubog sa Oriental Mindoro na nakaaapekto na sa apat na probinsya dahil sa tumatagas na langis na lulan nito, at ang mga insidente ng panggigipit ng pwersa ng China sa loob ng exclusive economic zone (EEZ) ng bansa.
“Imbes na magturuan o magsisihan sa nangyaring pagkalat ng oil slick dulot ng paglubog ng MT Princess Empress, hanapin natin ang solusyon dahil mauulit at mauulit ang mga ganitong aksidente,” ani Estrada.
Sa paghahain ng Senate Bill No. 2016 o ang panukalang Philippine Coast Guard Modernization Act, sinabi ng chairperson ng Senate Committee on National Defense and Security na panahon na para ma-upgrade ang logistical support ng pinaka-una at tanging humanitarian armed service ng Pilipinas.
Isiniwalat kamakailan ng mga opisyal ng PCG na ang mga kasalukuyang assets nito ay hindi sapat para magpatrolya sa karagatan na sakop ng bansa at protektahan ang mga mangingisdang Pilipino laban sa mapaniil at nanghihimasok na mga dayuhan.
“Ang PCG ay pinagkalooban ng kapangyarihan na gampanan ang limang pangunahing tungkulin na may kinalaman sa maritime safety, security, search and rescue, law enforcement at environmental protection. Sa harap ng napakabigat na mga gawain para maipatupad ang mga regulasyon alinsunod sa maritime international conventions, treaties at mga batas natin, hindi sapat ang pagkakaroon ng fleet na binubuo lamang ng tatlong offshore patrol vessel para gampanan ang kanilang mapanganib at kritikal na mga tungkulin,” sabi ng beteranong mambabatas.
Inilatag ni Estrada sa kanyang panukalang batas ang 15-taong modernization program na magbibigay daan para maisakatuparan ang pag-upgrade ng assets at mapabuti ang kakayahan ng PCG na magampanan ang mga mandato nito na pinag-uutos ng mga umiiral na batas.
Layon ng iminungkahing modernization program ni Estrada na mapabilis ang pagtugon sa search and rescue operations at malaki ang mai-ambag na masiguro ang mga maritime zone at nasasakupang dagat ng bansa laban sa terorismo at iba pang elemento na banta sa pambansang seguridad.
Sakop din sa panukalang modernisasyon ng PCG ni Estrada ang restructuring at streamlining ng mga unit at opisina nito para gawing simple ang mga proseso, professionalization ng human resource, pagkuha at pag-upgrade ng mga basic at support facilities para sa administrative and operational services pati na ang pagbili ng pinaka modernong mga kagamitan.
Bilang naatasang “tagapag-alaga ng karagatan,” sinabi ni Estrada na nararapat magkaroon ang PCG ng mahusay at maaasahang sasakyang-dagat na naka-interface sa pinakabagong teknolohiya para maging madali ang mga operasyon nito, mapapagana remotely sa ilalim ng dagat para sa search, retrieval at monitoring operations, mga armas na marine environment resistant at nakadisenyo para hindi mapagana ang gamit ng mga kalaban maging ang kanilang mga kagamitan, magkaroon ng uninterruptible internal communications na interoperable sa ibang mga ahensya maging sa mga commercial vessels na naglalayag sa loob ng Philippine maritime zones and territorial waters.
“Ang sakop ng EEZ ng bansa ay mas malaki pa kumpara sa kabuuan ng lawak ng ating land area. Kaya’t kailangan ng ating gobyerno na magkaroon ng isang epektibong organisasyon na kayang magbigay proteksyon at pangalagaan ang iba’t ibang likas na yaman sa ating maritime territory at magsilbi na rin na tagapagtanggol laban sa mga nanghihimasok, lawless elements at mapanirang mga gawain,” sabi ni Estrada.