Higher allowance for PCG pushed

A PHILIPPINE SENATOR on Sunday pushed for higher subsistence pay for Coast Guard personnel, citing increasing risks during patrols in the South China Sea.

In a statement, Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian said that he is looking to increase the subsistence allowance of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) amid the “harassments and challenges” they face during patrols.

He added that PCG personnel currently receive only P150 per day compared to P350 for other uniformed personnel.

“Even though the situation is challenging, what is important is that we sustain the high morale of our colleagues in the Coast Guard,” Mr. Gatchalian said. “Whenever you patrol the West Philippine Sea, not only do you risk your life, but you also assert our sovereignty.”

If implemented, the increased allowance can benefit about 20,000 personnel of the Coast Guard.

“The work of the PCG is not only for the Philippines but also for ASEAN. Anything that happens in the West Philippine Sea affects the entire region, even North Asia,” he added.

The South China Sea has become a flashpoint in the long-running territorial dispute between Manila and Beijing, with the latter claiming more than 80% of the disputed waterway.

In 2016, a United Nations-backed tribunal based in The Hague voided China’s expansive claim on the South China Sea, where more than $3 trillion worth of trade passes through each year, for being illegal. China continues to ignore this ruling. — Adrian H. Halili