Coast Guard undermanned, needs assets

By Dolly Yasa

 

BACOLOD City – The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) here needs additional personnel and assets to boost the district’s maritime law enforcement and search and rescue capabilities.

Captain Eduardo De Luna, PCG Southern Visayas district commander, said he noticed that the PCG in the district is undermanned and lack rescue equipment.

De Luna said he asked PCG Admiral George Ursabia for additional personnel.

With the arrival of more maritime assets for the PCG, De Luna has also sought for at least one major PCG naval asset to be stationed in Negros which would be used for maritime law enforcement and rescue capabilities.

He also said that Admiral Ursabia “gave us the go signal and they will support us with this initiative.”

De Luna said the public will expect in the coming days that the PCG-southern Visayas will step up its maritime apprehensions against violators such as illegal fishing, as well as operations which aims to root out the smuggling of contrabands such as illegal drugs.

The local PCG head is also hoping to call for a meeting with officials of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Western and Central Visayas.

The PCG-southern Visayas district covers the provinces of Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental, and the island of Siquijor.