US to set up boat facility in Palawan

THE UNITED STATES said that it is looking to set up a boat maintenance facility in Palawan to service small watercrafts, the US Embassy in Manila said on Wednesday.

“The facility will provide repair and maintenance capabilities for several small Philippine military watercraft and will include two multi-purpose interior rooms suitable for equipment storage or conference use,” the embassy said in a statement.

The embassy added that the US Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command on July 7, issued a public solicitation for the design and construction of a new facility to be located at the Naval Detachment Oyster Bay, Palawan.

It noted that the planned boat maintenance facility is not a military base.

Naval Detachment Oyster Bay serves as one of the departure points for AFP-contracted vessels used in the rotation and resupply (RoRe) missions to the naval outpost BRP Sierra Madre in Second Thomas Shoal (Ayungin).

“The project is approved by the government of the Philippines in accordance with all applicable US and Philippine local rules and regulations,” it said.

The embassy added that all US military activities in the country are done with the full coordination with its Philippine allies.

The US is the Philippines’ major security partner, with a 1951 defense treaty compelling both nations to defend each other in case of an armed attack.

“Our US-Philippine alliance with its roots in the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty remains a cornerstone of peace and security, promoting our common vision for a free, open, and resilient Indo-Pacific,” it said. — Adrian H. Halili