By Dolly Yasa
BACOLOD City – A top official of the Philippine Coast Guard said Friday that the unit is “fit and able” to serve its mandate.
Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) commandant, Admiral George Ursabia Jr., arrived at the Bredco port Friday morning to join the 3rd founding anniversary of the PCG Southern Visayas District.
“We are here to inform everybody that the PCG has the capacity to respond to their mandates,” Ursabia said.
Ursabia, who was onboard the PCG’s flagship the BRP Gabriela Silang, said the district’s founding anniversary was long overdue as they were supposed to celebrate it last August if not for the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ursabia said the PCG specifically brought the BRP Gabriela Silang to Bacolod City to show to the Bacolodnons and Negrenses that they have a new ship.
Ursabia also said that they are in the process of recruiting more personnel.
He said that currently, the PCG has a total of 18,000 personnel which he pointed out is not enough.
Since the coastline of the country stretches 37,000 kilometers, the PCG would need at least 40,000 active personnel, Ursabia said.
“We want to have at least one coast guard for every kilometer of coastline,” he further said.
He also said that there is a long way to go for them.
“But what is good about the current situation is that our strength is increasing,” he said.
As part of the celebration, the Coast Guard District Southern Visayas will host an open-house tour of the BRP Gabriela Silang and BRP Cape Engano on Dec 18, 2020 at the Bredco Port in Bacolod City.
Captain Eduardo De Luna, PCG-Southern Visayas District Commander, said the tour will be open for all residents of the city and Negros Occidental.
