By Brian Campued
To commemorate the 84th Day of Valor on Thursday, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) officially activated its Coast Guard District Kalayaan Island Group (KIG) as part of the national government’s efforts to safeguard national territory.
The ceremony in Pag-asa Island was led by Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez, PCG Commandant Adm. Ronnie Gil Gavan, PCG Spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Rear Adm. Jay Tarriela, and Sen. Erwin Tulfo.
In a statement, Tarriela said the activation of the CG District KIG has the full support and approval of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in line with his commitment that “not an inch of our territory shall be surrendered” to any foreign power.
According to the PCG official, the new command post upgrades the existing Coast Guard unit in KIG into a major district, to be led by a senior PCG officer with the rank of Commodore.
“This ensures command by a mature and experienced leader with a strong strategic understanding of coast guard presence and operations in the area,” Tarriela said.
Dedicated and operationally controlled assets such as vessels and aircraft will also be deployed to the new KIG district, which will be used not only for maritime security but also for search and rescue operations and maritime environmental protection efforts, among other PCG functions.
To strengthen the capability of the new PCG command post, infrastructure developments such as upgrades and construction of additional buildings on other occupied maritime features within the KIG will also be initiated.
“The district will likewise receive enhanced logistical support and increased operational funding to carry out more significant operations across its area of responsibility,” Tarriela said.
The PCG will also deploy officers and non-commissioned personnel from various technical services to support the national government in delivering essential services to the residents of Kalayaan as part of its Intensified Community Assistance, Awareness, Response, and Engagement (iCARE) program.
“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,” Tarriela said.
Aside from the major command post, the PCG also announced the establishment of Coast Guard stations on Kota Island and Parola Island.
The milestone comes amid the ongoing territorial disputes in the West Philippine Sea, with China claiming virtually the entirety of South China Sea—despite the 2016 arbitral ruling under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) invalidating its assertion.
EO 111 is anchored on Republic Acts 12064 (Philippine Maritime Zones Act) and 12065 (Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act), both signed by Marcos in November 2024, formally defining the country’s maritime boundaries, territorial waters, Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), and continental shelf. (with report from Patrick de Jesus / PTV News)
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