Gov. Bong Lacson expressed support to the proposed Philippine Coast Guard Academy for its modernization program in Southern Negros.

Cdr Jansen Benjamin of Coast Guard Base Southern Negros and Coast Guard Station Northern Negros Occidental, Architect Danny Yee – Consultant, PCG Staff Assistant Mayang, and Nelson Huerva, Managing Director of HUERVA Estate, met with Gov. Lacson at the Capitol, last week.

Cdr Benjamin underscored the strategic location of the PCG Base located in the boundary of Barangay Talacagay, Hinobaan-an and Barangay Nabulao, Sipalay City as the site of the National PCG Academy.
Benjamin added that PCG is set to recruit 100,000 officers and enlisted personnel for the next ten years. The aim is to put PCG substation in each of the coastal municipalities and cities nationwide to attain three Coast Guardians for every kilometer of coastline.

The PCG Modernization Law known as “The Act of Strengthening the Philippine Coast Guard” has a yearly allocation of P5 billion for the next five years aside from the initial fund allocation required for the first year of implementation and the setting up of a Modernization Trust Fund.

The said Act was approved on its Third and Final reading last September 19, 2024.

Gov. Lacson likewise expressed his appreciation to Nelson Huerva, Managing Director of Huerva Estate for their willingness to donate additional 20 to 25 hectares of its prime coastal property in Nabulao Bay to host the infrastructure projects of the PCG Academy with a budgetary allocation of P2.36 billion including the P800 million training ship.

The governor said that it will mean a lot of economic and tourism activities in the areas of Sipalay City, Candoni, and Hinobaan with the expected continuous presence of about 5,000 cadets.

The Coast Guard Base Southern Negros project was started in 2019 and now has a completed port, a four-story administrative building, perimeter wall and other support infrastructures.* #AbanseNegrense