MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Friday, December 1, inaugurated its “new and upgraded” Coast Kalayaan Island Group station in Pag-asa Island.

In a statement, the PCG said the three-story building “will have advanced maritime domain awareness technology such as radar, automatic identification, satellite communication, coastal cameras, and vessel traffic management.”

The new structure was built after Super Typhoon Odette completely damaged the original station in December 2021. Only the Philippine flag stood where the old station once was.

Admiral Ronnie Gavan, commandant of the PCG, said the station’s systems would “significantly enhance the PCG’s capability to monitor the movements of Chinese maritime forces, as well as public vessels and aircraft,” according to a PCG release.

The station could not have come at a more crucial time. The PCG is among the government agencies which has to deal with China’s aggressive actions in the West Philippine Sea.

Pag-asa or Thitu Island is the largest of the features administered by the Philippines in the Spratlys, an archipelago whose features are claimed by several countries, including China and the Philippines.

Pag-asa is the farthest island territory of the Philippines and is located beyond its exclusive economic zone, or more than 200 nautical miles from its territorial baseline.

The Philippines has occupied and administered Pag-asa island since 1971. In 1978, the municipality of Kalayaan on Pag-asa island was official established through a presidential decree.

Present during the inauguration of the structure were National Security Adviser Eduardo Año, Presidential Adviser on the West Philippine Sea Andres Centino, Department of Transportation Undersecretary for Maritime Elmer Sarmiento, Department of Energy Undersecretary Giovanni Carlo Bacordo, Armed Forces of the Philippines Western Commander Vice Admiral Abeth Carlos, and other members of the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea, said the PCG. – Rappler.com