MANILA – Ranking defense and military officials visited and inspected ongoing developments in key naval facilities at the Oyster Bay in Palawan province on Thursday.
In a statement Friday, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) public affairs office chief, Col. Xerxes Trinidad, said the inspection led by Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and military chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. aims to “assess ongoing infrastructure developments critical to enhancing the country’s external defense posture” at these bases.
He added that the Oyster Bay facility, along with projects in Balabac town, are part of the priority projects instructed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to be fast-tracked in order to bolster the Philippines’ external defense capabilities.
These ongoing developments were not specified for security reasons.
“They hold strategic importance and are crucial in external defense to protect Philippine sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea,” Trinidad stressed.
Balabac is also pegged as a future forward operating base for the Philippine Air Force and is expected to significantly extend the nation’s air defense capabilities.
“The visit reinforces the Department of National Defense and AFP’s commitment to enhancing the Philippines’ military infrastructure and ensuring the nation’s sovereignty is protected amidst evolving security challenges,” Trinidad said. (PNA)
