Jamaine Punzalan

Article (news)

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1775712241640viber_image_2026-04-09_12-41-06-624.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Photo courtesy of PCG</span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The Philippine Coast Guard unveiled on Thursday its first dedicated command center in Pag-asa Island, a flashpoint in the West Philippine Sea that has been the site of repeated confrontations with Chinese vessels.</p><p>The headquarters of a newly established coast guard district, formerly overseen from neighboring Palawan, will cover an area of about 68,000 square kilometers.</p><p>An AFP journalist traveling to the new command center saw multiple Chinese Coast Guard vessels patrolling nearby waters. The vessels issued radio warnings to the plane carrying the journalist.</p><p>Beijing claims the South China Sea in nearly its entirety, despite an international ruling that its assertion has no legal basis.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1775712352340viber_image_2026-04-09_12-41-08-658.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Photo courtesy of PCG</span></span></span></div><p>Pagasa will now have a commodore-level commander on site, Philippine Coast Guard Commandant Ronnie Gil Gavan told reporters after a Thursday &quot;activation&quot; ceremony, along with a permanently stationed ship, more response vessels and an unspecified number of specialists.</p><p>&quot;The establishment of the coast guard district here will also enhance the psyche, the mindset of each and every coast guard member, that... the defence of Kalayaan island group is a top priority,&quot; Gavan said, using the Filipino name for the Spratly island chain.</p><p>The move will also include the dredging of a deeper port that will allow for the docking of coast guard vessels, which must currently ferry personnel to and from Pag-asa on small boats.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2026/3/21/kalayaan-town-to-launch-patriotic-tours-to-pag-asa-island-in-april-1026">Kalayaan town to launch ‘patriotic tours’ to Pag-asa Island in April</a></div><p>The far-flung Kota and Parola islands will also see their substations raised to full station status, coast guard spokesman Jay Tarriela said.</p><p>The Pag-asa upgrade, meanwhile, will mean a bigger budget for greater community assistance to the island&#x27;s inhabitants, including more teachers and doctors, he said.</p><p>Pag-asa Island is home to about 400 Filipinos, mostly fishermen and their families, who China accuses of living there illegally.</p><p>The Chinese Embassy in Manila did not immediately reply to a request for comment on Thursday.</p><p>The Philippines last month revealed plans to<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/3/31/131-features-of-kalayaan-island-group-to-have-local-names-2046"> rename more than 100 island features</a> in the Spratlys in a bid to reinforce its &quot;sovereignty&quot; in the South China Sea.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2026/4/1/china-opposes-philippines-renaming-kalayaan-island-group-features-1714">China opposes Philippines renaming Kalayaan Island Group features</a></div><p>China subsequently accused Manila of breaking international law while threatening unspecified measures to protect its own claims.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/3/28/pag-asa-church-groundbreaking-highlights-ph-presence-rights-in-west-ph-sea-1959">Pag-asa Church groundbreaking highlights PH presence, rights in West PH Sea</a></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Rfuh-bIPd7k?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>The Philippine Coast Guard unveiled on Thursday its first dedicated command center in Pag-asa Island, a flashpoint in the West Philippine Sea that has been the site of repeated confrontations with Chinese vessels.</p>

The Philippine Coast Guard unveiled on Thursday its first dedicated command center in Pag-asa Island, a flashpoint in the West Philippine Sea that has been the site of repeated confrontations with Chinese vessels.

Philippines unveils new coast guard command in Pag-asa Island

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Philippines unveils new coast guard command in Pag-asa Island

Faith Brown,

Agence France-Prese

Published April 09, 2026 01:28 PM PHT

Read More:

Pag-asa Island

Kalayaan island group

West Philippine Sea

South China Sea

China Philippines

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