Navy, Marines appeal HQ relocation
By Katherine Evangelista
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 15:35:00 11/21/2008
Filed Under: Protest, Military, Construction & Property
MANILA, Philippines -- The Philippine Navy and Marines will write Congress and ask that Republic Act (RA) 7227 be amended to provide them a relocation site within Fort Bonifacio, the Navy spokesman said Friday.
RA 7227, or the Bases Conversion Development Act of 1992, empowers the Bases and Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) to sell lands used as military bases, Lieutenant Colonel Edgard Arevalo said in an interview.
Arevalo said they have received a directive from Armed Force General Headquarters ordering them to submit a development plan and find possible relocation sites for their bases since the BCDA has signified its intention to sell the roughly 50-hectare property in Fort Bonifacio that the Philippine Navy and Marines currently use.
Selling the property will generate funds for the government that may be used for projects like the rehabilitation of the Armed Forces, Arevalo said.
However, Arevalo said before they even consider finding possible relocation sites for their bases, they will seek ways to stop the move.
“While we are recognizing that order and instruction from the higher office, that would not deprive us of exhausting other means for us to have what we would like to have, Arevalo said.
The Navy intends to point out to Congress that RA 7227 does not provide any relocation site for the service branch, unlike the Army and the Air Force, which are covered by provisions for relocation within their present bases, Arevalo said.
The BCDA initially eyed Sangley Point in Cavite as the relocation site of the Navy and Marines.
However, the BCDA has changed its mind and intends to turn Sangley Point into an economic zone like Subic Bay in Zambales, Arevalo said.
“In that regard, the Navy and Marines are effectively deprived of any relocation site which may render RA 7227 flawed,” since the original relocation site will be reserved for another purpose, Arevalo said.
The BCDA is proposing the Navy relocate to the Naval Educational Command in San Antonio, Zambales, and the Marines to Talipao, Sulu.
However, the Navy and Marines oppose the proposed sites, saying these are not “strategically viable” and will pose a big problem in the deployment of troops, Arevalo said.
“What we are proposing is that, like the Army, the Navy also has to be [based] in Manila, where the seat of power is. We need to be very mobile, deployed easily when we are needed,” Arevalo said.
The Navy and Marines also fear the morale of their men will be affected by the pending relocation of their headquarters and personnel quarters, Arevalo.
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