MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) wants to recruit 4,000 new personnel to address growing maritime challenges and in anticipation of upcoming assets.
“There is an increase of maritime challenges and our coast guard is evolving. We have new ships coming, we will construct new radar stations, and there is a surge in maritime activities,” PCG spokesperson Capt. Armando Balilo told INQUIRER.net Friday.
The 13,000-strong PCG has a current goal to recruit around 25,000 additional personnel by 2025.
For fiscal year 2019, the PCG needs 500 new officers and 3,500 non-officers.
Interested applicants may go to the nearest coast guard district or contact the PCG Recruitment Branch at 0917 8156992 and cghrms@coastguard.gov.ph, Balilo said.
The coast guard is mandated to carry out maritime safety, marine environmental protection, maritime security and law enforcement and maritime search and rescue.
One of the security challenges the PCG is currently facing is China’s deployment of its vessels (both coast guard and militia) around some Philippine-occupied outposts in the West Philippine Sea.
Beijing claims most of the South China Sea based on its mythical nine-dash line, which had already been rejected by an international court in 2016. Its claims include territories also being claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Brunei.
Chinese coast guard vessels have occupied Scarborough Shoal since the standoff in 2012. These vessels have also been reported to block Filipino vessels on resupply missions in the West Philippine Sea.