Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil L. Gavan visited Pag-asa Island today, 07 October 2026, to lead the activation of the Coast Guard Auxiliary District Kalayaan Island Group and the donning and oath-taking of new members of the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary (PCGA).
The new PCGA members were led by Kalayaan Municipal Mayor Beltsazar “Billy” Alindogan, together with teachers of the Department of Education (DepEd), members of the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (MDRRMC), and officials of the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Kalayaan. The ceremony was held at the Covered Court of Pag-asa Island.
During the event, Admiral Gavan also congratulated the youth of Pag-asa Island who graduated as Sea Scouts after completing PCG-led training in Basic Life Support (BLS) and Water Search and Rescue (WASAR). He commended the young graduates for choosing to equip themselves with life-saving skills that will directly benefit their families and their island community. The Sea Scout graduates also received school bags from the Operation Brotherhood Community Montessori.
In his message, the Commandant emphasized that the PCGA is fundamentally about volunteerism. He said that through the Auxiliary, the PCG can instill in the minds of the public the importance of preparedness and resiliency, especially in a remote island community where immediate help depends on the readiness of its own people. At the same time, he stressed that volunteers from Kalayaan become partners of the government in standing for the country’s sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea.
“The activation of the Auxiliary District here in Pag-asa means that the civilians of Kalayaan now stand shoulder to shoulder with your Coast Guard. Volunteerism is not only about responding to emergencies; it is also about showing the world that Filipinos live here, serve here, and will continue to protect what is rightfully ours,” Admiral Gavan said.
As part of his visit, the Commandant also awarded and recognized the PCG personnel who responded to the blast fishing incident near Pag-asa Island on 04 October 2026. On that day, an inter-agency team led by the Coast Guard District Kalayaan Island Group (CGD KIG), together with the Philippine Navy, including Marines, and the PNP Maritime Group, responded to a report of suspected dynamite fishing near Sandy Cays 2 and 3, about three nautical miles west of Pag-asa Island, within the territorial sea of the Philippines.
Admiral Gavan lauded the responders for their professionalism, courage, and restraint in enforcing Philippine laws against a destructive practice that damages coral reefs and depletes the fish stocks that Filipino fishermen in the Kalayaan Island Group depend on.
“What you did last Sunday was a routine law enforcement operation, but you carried it out under conditions that were anything but routine. You showed that the Philippine Coast Guard will not abandon its duty to protect our marine resources, even under intimidation,” the Commandant told the awardees.
The activation of the Coast Guard Auxiliary District Kalayaan Island Group complements the establishment of the Coast Guard District Kalayaan Island Group, which has raised the PCG’s presence in the KIG to a new level by enabling faster response, better sustainment of operations, and closer coordination with the Municipality of Kalayaan and other government agencies.
These initiatives are in accordance with the guidance of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., who has called for a culture of preparedness and a whole-of-society approach to building resilience, and for firm national resolve in defending what is ours and responsible stewardship of the country’s marine resources.
