Coast Guard reorganization worries local gov't agencies
The Philippine Coast Guard is set to implement a major reorganization program this month that will affect the existing 10 regional commands in the country.
The Coast Guard's Rationalization Plan, set to take effect on August 15, involves the dissolution of 10 district commands and the putting up of area commands to oversee its provincial stations and detachments, according to a Coast Guard advisory sent to government agencies in Western Visayas.
The plan is contained in a memorandum issued by Coast Guard commandant Admiral Damian Carlos and approved by Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza. This was presented to unit commanders during a command conference on July 19.
The restructuring is intended to improve the Coast Guard's efficiency and effectiveness in protecting the country's marine resources and responding to emergencies and disasters.
Under the plan the Coast Guard will increase its personnel from the present 3,600 to 25,996 (3,265 officers, 21,549 enlisted personnel and 1,182 civilian employees). This will be implemented from seven to eight years.
Around 1,000 personnel will be added this year and another 2,500 next year.
A major provision is the deactivation of the district commands in National Capital Region-Central Luzon, Central-Eastern Visayas, South Western Mindanao, Palawan, Southern Tagalog, Western Visayas, Northern Luzon, South Eastern Mindanao, Bicol and Northern Mindanao.
The existing provincial stations will be renamed as districts while the present detachments will be renamed as stations.
The provincial stations will be put under the supervision of the Northern Luzon Command, based in Poro Point in La Union; Southern Luzon Command, based in Batangas City; Mindanao Command, based in Davao City; and the (Mindoro-Marinduque-Romblon, Palawan (MIMAROPA) Command, based in Puerto Princesa City in Palawan.
Government agencies here have raised concerns of potential difficulties in coordinating with Coast Guard units in the region because all other government agencies have regional offices that directly supervise the provincial offices.
Office of the Civil Defense regional director Rosario Cabrera said decision-making and coordination could face delays because they have to coordinate with the area command like Cebu in the case of the Visayas.
Lawyer Fernando Claveria, Philippine Ports Authority manager in Iloilo and chair of the regional management committee of the DOTC, said he has asked Mendoza for guidelines on how other agencies and offices would coordinate with the Coast Guard.