President Rodrigo Duterte ordered Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade to acquire four more airplanes to improve the capability of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

"I'm ordering Secretary Tugade to buy three or four airplanes. Make it four so that if two crashes, you still have some left," Duterte said during the inauguration of Puerto Princesa Seaport Expansion Project in Palawan and revealing the marker of Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Kalayaan Station for Pagasa Island in same event on Thursday.

"As President, I assure you that we will uphold our territorial integrity no matter what the circumstance is. This aircraft is also equipped to undertake efforts and missions to transfer and deliver vaccines and test kits without affecting their lifespan or efficacy," he said.

"Furthermore, we can now engage for vast array of missions such as Search and Rescue, Maritime Patrol and Surveillance, Air Ambulance utility roles and other PCG mandated duties to help our people during these challenging times," he added.

However, Duterte also called the PCG and the transportation department to not just focus on patrolling the West Philippine Sea as he emphasized the need to also focus on the waters of Southern Mindanao.

"As we bolster our connectivity in Palawan, we also look into fortifying our maritime security in the area. I am glad to know that the Philippine Coast Guard continues to be geared towards an expanded presence in the West Philippine Sea and the Kalayaan Island Group to safeguard Filipino fishermen who venture into the sea for their daily livelihood," he said.

"Your aircraft you just cannot focus on this part of the Philippine archipelago and you have to worry also I mean, the Coast Guard has to worry also about the other areas, for example, in Mindanao, Sulu and Zamboanga," he added. Robina Asido/DMS