Tag: Philippine Coast Guard

Statements

Coast Guard, Supporters Act on Lacson Call for Help for Flood-Hit Iloilo Residents

Acting on information and a call for assistance from Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson, the Philippine Coast Guard is sending rubber boats and other assets to help residents affected by floods particularly along the highway between Iloilo and Roxas City in Capiz.

Lacson called former Coast Guard Commandant retired Vice Admiral Edmund Tan and informed him of the situation, after receiving updates from Iloilo early Tuesday.

Tan replied he has informed incumbent Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Artemio Abu (Philippine Military Academy Class 1992), and that Abu “readily agreed” and will instruct the Coast Guard in the area to “act accordingly.”

Related: Coast Guard, Supporters Mabilis Na Tinugunan ang Panawagan ni Lacson na Tulong para sa mga Apektadong Residente sa Iloilo
Continue reading “Coast Guard, Supporters Act on Lacson Call for Help for Flood-Hit Iloilo Residents” →

Statements

Ping, Pinangunahan ang Pagdinig Hinggil sa Pagpapalakas ng Coast Guard Para Maprotektahan ang WPS

Kailangang palakasin ang ating Philippine Coast Guard upang maprotektahan ang ating katubigan mula sa panghihimasok at pananakot sa West Philippine Sea gayundin upang mas magampanan nito ang kanilang tungkulin bilang primary maritime agency ng Pilipinas.

Ito ang binigyang diin ni Senador Ping Lacson nitong Martes nang kanyang pinangunahan ang pagdinig ng Senate subcommittee para mabigyang solusyon ang operational, administrative at organizational na isyu ng ahensya

“While we all point to the Philippine Coast Guard as the primary maritime agency of the government to strengthen our country’s sensitive frontiers in the West Philippine Sea, we can no longer keep the predicaments of the agency at bay,” ani Lacson.

Related: Lacson Leads Hearing to Strengthen Coast Guard to Protect WPS
Continue reading “Ping, Pinangunahan ang Pagdinig Hinggil sa Pagpapalakas ng Coast Guard Para Maprotektahan ang WPS” →

Statements

Lacson Leads Hearing to Strengthen Coast Guard to Protect WPS

To empower it to protect the Philippines’ waters from intrusion and harassment including in the West Philippine Sea – as well as fulfill its other duties as the Philippines’ primary maritime agency, the Philippine Coast Guard needs to be strengthened and its gaps addressed.

Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson stressed this on Tuesday as he presided over a Senate subcommittee hearing to address the issues in the agency’s operational, administrative and organizational concerns.

“While we all point to the Philippine Coast Guard as the primary maritime agency of the government to strengthen our country’s sensitive frontiers in the West Philippine Sea, we can no longer keep the predicaments of the agency at bay,” Lacson said.

Related: Ping, Pinangunahan ang Pagdinig Hinggil sa Pagpapalakas ng Coast Guard Para Maprotektahan ang WPS
Continue reading “Lacson Leads Hearing to Strengthen Coast Guard to Protect WPS” →

Statements, Videos

Strengthening the Philippine Coast Guard

Good morning and welcome to the public hearing of the Sub-Committee of the Senate Committee on Public Services on Senate Bill No. 2322 or “An Act Providing for the Administrative Reform and Reorganization of the Philippine Coast Guard, Revising for the Purpose Republic Act No. 9993, otherwise known as the “Philippine Coast Guard Law of 2009,” authored by Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III.

We also take into consideration Senate Bill No. 2265 for the institutionalization of the PCG Auxiliary, authored by Sen. Richard Gordon; and Senate Bill No. 1112, which aims to establish the PCG Academy, authored by Sen. Imee Marcos.

The PCG traces its roots from the Bureau of Coast Guard and Transportation created in 1901 during the American Occupation. Mas matanda pa ito sa DND and the AFP, kasi created ito by virtue of Commonwealth Act No. 1, last Dec. 21, 1935.

Continue reading “Strengthening the Philippine Coast Guard” →

Hearings/Investigations, Statements, Videos

Senate Committee Hearing on MUP Concerns

Sen. Lacson’s Opening Statement at the Hearing

Good morning, everyone.

As a refresher, allow me to briefly recount where we left off after the Joint Committee Hearing that we conducted last February of 2021, pertaining to the proposed measures that seek to address the pressing concerns from the ballooning pension requirements of our Military and Uniformed Personnel (MUP).

Before the suspension of the said hearing, the Committee had requested the following:

1. For various MUPs to submit to the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) the necessary data with respect to the new entrants, so the latter will be able to update its actuarial study dated 05 January 2021; and

2. For the agencies to submit complete data on the real properties to aid the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) in computing the total value of assets that may be considered in establishing the seed fund.

This Committee has been informed that, to date, the GSIS is yet to update its actuarial study due to either incomplete or delayed submission of some agencies. We can skip this for now as we were told the aggregate amount involved is not substantial enough to contribute to the reduction of subsidies coming from the GAA. Not to mention that the incomplete submission of data has already delayed the crafting of the committee report.

Continue reading “Senate Committee Hearing on MUP Concerns” →

Statements, Videos

Ping, Sumaludo sa Pagbabantay ng AFP, PCG sa WPS
Image: CTTO

Matapos matagumpay na maitaboy palayo sa Sabina Shoal sa West Philippine Sea (WPS) ang ilang barko ng Chinese militia, ipinaabot ni Senate Committee on National Defense Chairman Panfilo Lacson ang pagsaludo sa Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) at Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

Kasabay ng pagsaludo at paghanga, umaasa si Lacson na itutuloy-tuloy ng dalawang puwersa ng pamahalaan ang masigasig na pagbabantay sa mga bahagi ng WPS na lehitimong pag-aari ng Pilipinas.

Ayon sa senador, kailangang dapat na palaging alerto at listo ang puwersa ng PCG at AFP na nakatalagang magbantay sa mga bahaging pag-aari ng Pilipinas upang hindi sila masalisihan dahil hindi malayong pumasok ang mga dayuhan kapag sila ay nakalingat.

“We must not let our guard down. Since the 1990s, China has already made three incursions into our exclusive economic zone (EEZ): Mischief Reef, Scarborough Shoal, and now, Julian Felipe Reef. They are likely to do so again if we relax,” pahayag ni Lacson.

Related: Lacson to AFP, Coast Guard: Keep Up the Good Work at WPS
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Statements, Videos

Lacson to AFP, Coast Guard: Keep Up the Good Work at WPS
Image: CTTO

After driving away Chinese ships off Sabina Shoal in the West Philippine Sea, the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine Coast Guard should keep up the good work of watching over the area, Sen. Panfilo Lacson said Thursday.

But Lacson stressed our forces must keep alert over our territory and maintain such an approach to intruders, lest they sneak in when our guard is down.

“We must not let our guard down. Since the 1990s, China has already made three incursions into our exclusive economic zone (EEZ): Mischief Reef, Scarborough Shoal, and now, Julian Felipe Reef. They are likely to do so again if we relax,” said Lacson, who chairs the Senate committee on national defense.

Related: Ping, Sumaludo sa Pagbabantay ng AFP, PCG sa WPS
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Hearings/Investigations, Statements, Videos

Hearing of the Senate Defense Committee on MUP Concerns

Sen. Lacson’s Opening Statement at the Hearing:

This is a continuation of our previous public hearing held last October 5, 2020, on the MUP pension bills referred to this committee, which was suspended with the commitment that an actuarial study would be conducted by the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) together with our key stakeholders, such as the Bureau of Treasury and the MUPs, among others.

Just to refresh our memory, last year and this year’s appropriations reflect the veracity of this serious financial concern, given the steep increase in the MUPs’ pension funding from P80 billion in 2020 to P120 billion under the 2021 General Appropriations Act.

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In the News, Statements, Videos

#PINGterview: ‘Early’ Judgment of Anti-Drug War; ‘Veto’ vs Pork in 2020 Budget | Jan. 8, 2020

In an interview with media in Lingayen, Pangasinan, Sen. Lacson answered questions on:
– VP Robredo’s claim that the war vs drugs is a ‘massive failure’
– Filipinos affected by tension in the Middle East
– pork in the 2020 budget
– PNP physical fitness policy

QUOTES and NOTES:
 Continue reading “#PINGterview: ‘Early’ Judgment of Anti-Drug War; ‘Veto’ vs Pork in 2020 Budget | Jan. 8, 2020” →

Hearings/Investigations, In the News, Photos, Videos

#PingSays: On increasing the base pay of uniformed service personnel in government | Nov. 29, 2017

In an interview with media, Sen. Lacson answers questions on:
– pay hike for uniformed personnel
– 2018 budget bill
– tax reform

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Quotes from the interview… Continue reading “#PingSays: On increasing the base pay of uniformed service personnel in government | Nov. 29, 2017” →