PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan — The proposed establishment of Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Academy in a 200-hectare land property in Barangay Apurawan in Aborlan town would boost the maritime security of the province, official said.
3rd District Rep. Gil Acosta said Saturday that the House Bill No. 4161 he filed in House of Representatives in 2020 is a strategic measure to establish maritime security unit in the area of Apurawan considering the land area of the province.
He said that this would also help PCG to have their own academy where they could conduct all their training and activities.
"We filed the bill for the PCG to have a training center facing WPS especially in Apurawan to have a watchdog there because the problem in Palawan . Because PCG ngayon ay walang training facility, nakikigamit lang sila. So we proposed to build a training facility for all the PCG to train here in the province of Palawan," he said.
Acosta said that all assets of the PCG would be also facing WPS that would boost the maritime security patrol activity in the area.
It would also beneficial for the residents considering the current development in West Coast area of the Puerto Princesa City and Aborlan.
"We have a specific structure facing a WPS in Apurawan. Kapag naglagay ka ng structure, the asset of PCG will be there. Malaki ang bentahe para sa province of Palawan especially right now kung makapunta kayo sa Apurawan at Culandanum in the west area of 3rd district talagang napakaganda na may signal na, wala nga lang kuryente," he said.
Earlier this year, PCG commandant Adm. George Ursabia Jr. considered the area for their plan PCG Academy.
“The PCG is considering Apurawan, Aborlan as the primary location of the project. Since it has been a long goal of this agency to have an academy we can call our very own,” he said in the letter addressed to Governor Jose Chaves Alvarez.