The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is planning to establish an operations base in El Nido, Palawan to intensify the sovereignty patrols and safeguard the Filipino fishermen in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

PCG spokesperson Commodore Armand Balilo said the location of El Nido, Palawan is the nearest and most accessible for them to replenished supply before conducting patrol in the disputed areas.

“Yun kasi pinaka-accessible sa amin kasi yung mga barko galing ng Manila doon sa El Nido, Palawan nag-checheck point bago mag-patrol sa WPS. Mahirap kasi kung manggagaling pa sa Puerto Princesa kaya pinaplano namin na palakihin na lang yung sa El Nido (It is the most accessible for us because the ships from Manila went first in for checkpoint before patrolling the WPS. It will be difficult to come from Puerto Princesa, so we plan to expand the one in El Nido),” Balilo told the Manila Bulletin on Wednesday, May 26.

Balilo underscored that the area was also a good location to monitor fishermen and to immediately respond in search and rescue operations.

The PCG spokesperson also asked for the support of the government to help the humanitarian armed force to establish formal base in the area.

“ ask the support of the government and legislators to help us na magkaroon (to have a) ng formal base roon (there). We are looking to establish a Coast Guard base in the near future,” Balilo added.

In March, the country protested the presence of around 220 Chinese vessels believed to be manned by Chinese maritime militia at the Julian Felipe Reef in the WPS.

During its maritime exercises and sovereignty patrols, the Coast Guard ships drove away seven foreign ships believed to be manned by Chinese militias from the Sabina Shoal in the WPS on April 27.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has repeatedly filed diplomatic protests against the repeated incursion of Chinese vessels in the Philippine’s EEZ.