The movement follows the transfer of Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal located off Zambales province from the Northern Luzon Command to the Western Command
117th ANNIVERSARY: The Philippine Navy celebrates its anniversary in Cavite City
The Philippine
Navy is combining the Palawan-based Naval Forces West (Navforwest) and La
Union-based Naval Forces Northern Luzon (Navfornol) to strengthen the Western
Command (Wescom), the unified military unit responsible for the country's
external defense.
"Maraming
rason (There are various reasons) – ease of supervision and commonality of
equipment," Navy chief Vice Admiral Jesus Millan said this week at the
anniversary celebration of the Philippine Navy, in explaining the consolidation
effort.
This movement
follows the transfer of Panatag
(Scarborough ) Shoal located off Zambales
province from the responsibility of Tarlac-based Northern Luzon Command
(Nolcom) to the operational area of Wescom. It was done to put all external
defense efforts under one commander.
The shoal located
within the country's 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone is now
practically occupied by the Chinese following the tense standoff in
2012. This incident prompted the Philippines
to file its case against China
The Navfornol is
the closest naval unit to Scarborough Shoal but remains under Nolcom. Its
transfer to Wescom consolidates the navy's territorial defense assets under one
single command, too.
"We will
harmonize these efforts," Millan added.
The consolidation
of the two naval commands will happen "in a year or two," said
Millan.
The
reorganization takes place as the Navy expects the delivery of more assets for
territorial defense.
http://www.rappler.com/nation/94584-ph-consolidate-naval-assets-wescom
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