TUGUEGARAO CITY, Philippines- The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is planning to put an outpost of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in the eastern coast of Cagayan province to safeguard the country’s territory.
In an interview, Cagayan Third District Representative Randolph Ting said officials of the DOTr, during the 2018 budget hearing, had requested for a lot somewhere in Baguio point in Peñablanca town where the outpost will be constructed.
Ting said the proposed project will be the PCG’s main outpost in monitoring activities at the Philippine Rise, which extends from Santa Ana town in Cagayan up to Aurora province.
He added that he already asked lawyer Gil Aromin, the regional director of Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-Cagayan Valley, to identify possible location.
“This is a priority so we will follow-up with the DENR,” Ting said.
“Tra-trabahuin natin ‘yan dahil matutuwa tayo kung may outpost doon para sa ganun ay ‘yung poaching na nangyayari sa Philippine Rise ay mabantayan natin,” he added.
Philippine Rise, formerly known as Benham Rise, is an active 13-million hectare undersea region rich in minerals and resources.
Oceana, an international non-profit that focuses on marine conversation and protection, said protecting the Philippine Rise is key to food security in the country since it is home to millions of natural resources.
“What’s amazing about Benham Bank is its coral coverage. The region offers a huge potential for food resources and is different from the typical corals that we see,” marine scientist Marianne Pan-Saniano of Oceana Philippines said. Northernforum.net
