Philippine Navy Flag Officer Vice Admiral Jose Ambrosio Q. Ezpeleta pushes for the establishment of a naval base in Panay Island, Bagamanoc town in Catanduanes to monitor against aggressors Benham Rise, dubbed as the protected food supply exclusive zone and the Philippines 'Marine Resource Reserve.' Ezpeleta told The Manila Times that the Philippine Navy was coordinating with the provincial government of Catanduanes to acquire land for the proposed Forward Operating Base in Panay Island. The Philippine Navy, through the Naval Forces of Southern Luzon (NAVFORSOL), is pushing for the construction of the base facing the Pacific Ocean for its ground, air, and naval assets and renovation of the dilapidated pier to service ships deployed in the eastern seaboard of the country.
Video by Rhaydz Barcia
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00:00Part of our strategic basing sa Navy is to develop an area dito sa east side of the Philippines.
00:08We identified Catanduanes, especially in the part of Panay Island, as one of our forward operating base.
00:20Currently, we are trying to coordinate with local government to help us procure the facility, the area, the real estate.
00:30And this is very strategic for the Navy and for the country, para ma-check yung east coast natin.
00:38We need to forward our operating forces, our assets in that area.
00:44Napakalaga po yung babantayan natin, yung Benham Rise.
00:48And of course, yung area, kasi mahirap puntahan yung area na east coast.
00:54So, nandito si Naval Forces Southern Luzon, but we need to project him sa east side pa, para malaki yung coverage niya.
01:06Sir, what is the advantage of putting naval headquarters in Catanduanes?
01:12For easily, reaction, of course, and all the time, ma-check natin yung area.
01:18Kasi we will be putting up our naval monitoring systems.
01:22Kasi di maglalagay din ng mga radars, mga surveillance system.
01:28Even kahit na wala tayong mga floating assets, makover natin yung area.
01:32Former U.S. Loran Station, but it's owned by the Coast Guard, by the Philippine Coast Guard.
01:39So, we will try to get a portion of that facility, yung Sakatanduanes, yung Panay Island, probably next to Loran.
01:48So, we can have our naval monitoring stations there.
01:53It's really hard to cover all our territory.
01:56That's why we need to put something there, malapit-lapit, so we can react to that area.
02:02As long as the foreign vessels will, kung magta-traverse man sila sa area natin, hindi lang natin sila papayag at bumasok sa territorial areas natin.
02:16They are authorized by international rules to be outside of our territory.
02:21That means the high seas from 12 nautical miles palabas.
02:24But they are not allowed to do surveillance or research hanggat wala silang paalag sa atin.
02:33So, we have to check. We have to monitor them. And we have to react.
02:36That's why we need to put forces there para makareact tayo kaagad.
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02:51an aggressive portion of history.
02:54So, we will need a bit of pressure to take tip of view behind.
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03:04A beautiful chance of bipolar parlaying may be Dawson Le Sun.
