Navy to resume sending supplies to Spratlys once ship repaired

From GMA News (Feb 14): Navy to resume sending supplies to Spratlys once ship repaired

The Philippine Navy will resume sending supplies to Filipino troops stationed in the Spratly Islands once the ship that was carrying the supplies is repaired, a military officer said.

While there is no exact date given for when the mission will proceed, "I was told it will be immediately after the repair [on the ship] is completed," said Navy spokesperson Col. Edgard Arevalo in a phone interview.

The Navy's logistics ship BRP Laguna was in the process of delivering supplies to nine Philippine-occupied territories in the West Philippine Sea when engine trouble was detected.

According to Capt. Cheryl Tindog of the military's Western Command on Friday, the Laguna had managed to reach its first destination, Rizal Reef, and was about to proceed to Kota Island when the crew realized there was a problem.

"While underway, the engine No. 2 broke down…The main engine No. 2 broke down so they decided to go back to Balabac [Island, in Palawan] for repair and sailed on single engine only," she said.

Sufficient supplies

The troops that have yet to receive supplies are the soldiers stationed on the islands of Kota, Pag-asa, Lawak, Parola, Patag, Likas and Panata as well as on Ayungin Shoal.

Arevalo said that despite the setback, the troops still have sufficient supplies, as the quarterly re-supply missions are scheduled well before supplies run out.

 "We do not resupply on the last minute," he said. "[Re-supply missions] are programmed in such as way that they will still have supplies even if we encounter problems such as this. We still have time available, we still have a window," he added.

However, Arevalo could not immediately say how much supplies the troops still have. Arevalo also said that the Navy might decide to transfer the supplies to another ship to complete the re-supply mission.

"The plan is to use the same ship, but in the event it is not okay, we will determine the available assets to bring the supplies...we have available assets capable of doing that," he said.

The Philippines is one of several claimants to territories in the South China Sea, including the Spratly group of islands. 

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/555258/news/nation/navy-to-resume-sending-supplies-to-spratlys-once-ship-repaired