The construction of the first phase of the joint K9 Academy of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) in Mabalacat City, Pampanga is nearing completion.
Commodore Allen Dalangin, commander of Coast Guard K9 Force, surveyed the ongoing construction of the joint PCG-PPA K9 Academy on Monday, Sept. 19.
The construction of the first phase of the establishment will be completed sometime in 2023, according to the Coast Guard K9 Force.
The PCG-PPA K9 Academy is being built on a 10-hectare land in Brgy. Dolores in Mabalacat town of Pampanga.
“Once operational, the PCG-PPA K9 Academy shall serve as the country’s center for comprehensive and advanced training for all Coast Guard working dogs and their handlers,” the PCG said in a statement Tuesday, Sept. 20.
The academy intends to produce K9 units that are highly efficient in search and rescue (SAR), threat detection, and fugitive apprehension.
It will also cater to future K9 units that the PPA will recruit and integrate into the government corporation. In doing so, the PPA is set to save P30 million of its annual budget from hiring private working dogs and K9 handlers to maintain port security.
The groundbreaking of the K9 Academy was held on Aug. 25, 2021. It has an initial budget allocation of P100 million donated by the PPA.
Upon completion, the K9 Academy is envisioned to be equipped with a breeding facility and veterinary clinic, a live explosive training site, indoor training area, conference room for K9 handlers, and billeting spaces for in-house instructors, staff, and trainees.
The joint venture of the PCG and PP aims to increase the number of the Department of Transportation's (DOTr) active working dogs to at least 1,000 units for tactical deployment in all sea, road, rail, and air transport facilities nationwide.
There were 480 working dogs and 514 active K9 handlers under the supervision of the Coast Guard K9 Force as of September 20.