FORMER senator Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan has welcomed the plan of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to acquire a new hospital ship, and to build a new first responder station for its marine search and rescue operations.
“We understand that in the proposed 2025 national budget, the PCG is seeking an allocation of P385.7 million to procure a new hospital ship, plus P90 million to construct a new First Responder and Nursing Service Facility,” Honasan said.
“We wholly support both PCG projects, as they will surely help save lives,” Honasan said in a statement on Sunday, ahead of the country’s observance of National Heroes Day.
Honasan is a former Army colonel and one-time chairperson of the Senate committee on national defense.
Driven by the motto “Saving Lives,” the PCG is an armed civilian service attached to the Department of Transportation (DOTr).
The PCG’s Parola-class patrol vessels that each have a complement of five officers and 20 enlisted men have been at the forefront of maritime security operations in the West Philippine Sea.
Two PCG patrol vessels – officially called multi-role response vessels (MRRVs) – were recently damaged when they encountered China Coast Guard (CCG) boats whose highly aggressive maneuvers “resulted in collisions” near Escoda Shoal.
The BRP Cape Engaño and BRP Bagacay were on their way to resupply outposts on Patag Island and Lawak Island when the incident happened.
Patag and Lawak form part of the Kalayaan Island Group under the Municipality of Kalayaan in Palawan province.
The PCG’s 30,640 uniformed officers are tasked primarily with safeguarding life and property at sea, law enforcement in Philippine waters, including maritime security operations, and protecting the country’s marine environment and resources.
The PCG is not a branch of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
However, Honasan said the PCG Law of 2009 provides “that in times of war, as declared by Congress, the PCG or parts thereof shall be attached to the Department of National Defense (DND).”
Last month, Honasan said the AFP’s ongoing modernization program should include the procurement of least three new military hospital ships – one each for deployment to Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao – to reinforce the government’s disaster relief and humanitarian operations.
“Considering that we are an archipelagic nation extremely vulnerable to natural disasters, military hospital ships would be a wise and practical investment of taxpayer money,” Honasan said.
The former senator on Sunday insisted that the AFP “should still acquire its own military hospital ships regardless of the PCG’s welcome plan.”
