Today, as we commemorate the heroism of our national heroes, the Commandant of the Philippine Coast Guard, Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan, together with Department of Transportation (DOTr) Acting Secretary Giovanni Lopez, and Senator Erwin Tulfo visited Pag-asa Island to officially activate the Coast Guard District Kalayaan Island Group.
This milestone has the full support and approval of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. It ensures that the Philippine Coast Guard is fully capable and strongly backed by the national government, in line with the President’s firm commitment to the Filipino people that not an inch of our territory shall be surrendered.
The activation has four primary objectives. First, it upgrades the existing coast guard unit into a full-fledged major Coast Guard District, to be led by a senior PCG officer with the rank of Coast Guard Commodore. This ensures command by a mature and experienced leader with a strong strategic understanding of coast guard presence and operations in the area.
Second, the Commandant intends to deploy dedicated, operationally controlled assets—including PCG vessels and aircraft—to this newly activated district. The utilization of these assets is not limited to maritime security roles; the district will perform the full spectrum of Philippine Coast Guard functions, encompassing maritime safety like search and rescue, and maritime environmental protection.
Third, the Commandant, with the concurrence of the DOTr Acting Secretary and Senator Tulfo, also noted that upgrading the unit to a major PCG command requires corresponding infrastructure developments. These include installation upgrades and the construction of additional buildings on other occupied maritime features within the Kalayaan Island Group. The district will likewise receive enhanced logistical support and increased operational funding to carry out more significant operations across its area of responsibility.
Fourth, as a major PCG command, the district will now be able to deploy officers and non-commissioned personnel from various technical services to support the national government in delivering essential services to the residents of the LGU of Kalayaan. The Commandant envisions these PCG personnel assisting the Department of Education (DepEd) to address the shortage of teachers, supporting the Department of Health (DOH) by providing medical doctors, nurses, and dentists, and even offering chaplains to meet the community’s spiritual and religious needs.
This initiative aligns with the Commandant’s iCare program, which aims to intensify community assistance, awareness and transparency, as well as response and enforcement.
This milestone strengthens not only maritime governance but also the Philippine Coast Guard’s commitment to holistic service and nation-building in the Kalayaan Island Group.
