Senate grants additional budget for Philippine Coast Guard
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is set to receive an ample increase in its budget for next year, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri disclosed late Monday.
Zubiri made the announcement during the Senate plenary deliberations on the proposed budget of PCG, an attached agency of the Department of Transportation (DOTr).
“This representation and the leadership and all members of the Senate will be increasing the budget of PCG. I will not anymore mention the amounts and what it is for, but we’ve already discussed it in private. They would be very happy and pleasantly surprised with the outcome,” Zubiri said.
But before Zubiri’s pronouncement, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III had already sought an explanation on the need to increase the PCG allocation by P1.3 billion.
Sen. Grace Poe, the sponsor of the DOTr 2024 budget, said the PCG was spending P1.7 billion yearly for fuel alone. She added that most PCG vessels were “inoperable” as these had not been maintained due to insufficient funds.
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“The Senate gave the most increase in their budget, given the scenario that we have right now in the West Philippine Sea. They are our first line of defense there,” Poe said, speaking partly in Filipino.
Poe noted that PCG also had other tasks such as checking illegal fishing, terrorism, smuggling, and human trafficking activities at sea.
The PCG spokesperson, Commodore Jay Tarriela, earlier said that the plan of Congress to boost the PCG funding would support its “operational capability in performing [its] role” in the West Philippine Sea.
