MANILA, September 12 ------ The US turned over to the Philippine Coast Guard a P250-million training facility that is expected to boost its capability to protect the country's waters.
The US-funded Specialized Education and Technical Building in Balagtas, Bulacan will help train coast guard personnel on navigation, law enforcement, and maintenance of ships, said PCG Vice Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan. During the turnover, US Ambassador MaryKay Carlson said the United States stands with the PCG in defending Philippine sovereign rights and in upholding a rules-based international order.
The US Coast Guard will be actively involved in training programs and projects in the facility that took 6 years to complete due to pandemic delays, Carlson said. “Unfortunately, we’ve seen 6 years of buildup in the West Philippine Sea as well, It’s really important that we have a long term commitment to the Coast Guard, to the people of the Philippines because we are truly steadfast friends, we are partners in prosperity and we are ironclad allies and that’s a mutual defense treaty that we have.” she said.
Beijing claims almost the entire South China Sea, including parts of the West Philippine Sea, through which trillions of dollars in trade passes annually. China has ignored an international court ruling that its assertion has no legal basis. It deploys hundreds of vessels to patrol the sea and swarm reefs.
Source: news.abs-cbn.com
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