Published July 21, 2021 11:16am
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief General Cirilito Sobejana has pledged the support of the military to develop Pagasa Island and protect the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG) in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
In a statement on Wednesday, the AFP said Sobejana agreed to convert the Pagasa Island into a logistics hub to protect Kalayaan’s biodiversity and the livelihood of its fishing communities.
“…We view it as a strategic and critical national security frontier, particularly in the interests of ecological balance and sustainable development,” he said.
On Monday, Sobejana joined a virtual meeting with Palawan Governor and chairperson of the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development Jose Alvarez.