Protecting PH sovereignty: Air force chief visits key military outposts in Palawan
The Philippine Air Force chief, Lt. Gen. Arthur Cordura, visited key military outposts in Palawan this week, including the remote Pag-Asa Island in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) to reaffirm the military’s commitment to protecting the country’s sovereignty.
Cordura visited Antonio Bautista Air Base in Puerto Princesa City, the Philippine-occupied Pag-Asa Island in the WPS and Balabac Island from Jan. 14 to 15, according to Col. Ma. Consuelo Castillo, PAF spokesperson.
On Pag-asa, an island that is 37 hectares and has 389 Filipino residents, Cordura inspected important military facilities and monitored the troops stationed there.
This year, the expansion and development of the Pag-Asa airport received P1.65 billion in funding under the 2025 national budget. This is a component of the P7.7 billion funding for the Aviation Infrastructure Program of the Department of Transportation.
Cordura also went to Balabac, one of the nine Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (Edca) sites in the country, that “plays a significant role in bolstering the country’s defense capabilities, promoting regional security, and facilitating cooperation in humanitarian and disaster relief operations,” said Castillo.
In July of last year, President Marcos announced that the construction of the military runway in Balabac was in its final stages. Cordura’s trip to Palawan, according to Castillo, “served to reaffirm the PAF’s unwavering dedication to protecting the nation’s sovereignty.”
“With the series of field visits, the PAF showcases its commitment to ensuring the readiness and welfare of its personnel while strengthening their mission to serve the country and its people, particularly in strategically important areas like Palawan and the West Philippine Sea,” she said.
Batanes visit
Cordura’s visit to key military outposts in Palawan came days after top military officials visited the naval detachment at Mavulis Island in Batanes, as well as other military facilities in the country’s northernmost province.
Philippine Navy Chief Rear Admiral Jose Ma. Ambrosio Ezpeleta, together with Philippine Army chief Lt. Gen. Roy Galido, Northern Luzon Command chief Lt. Fernyl Buca, and Commodore Edward Ike de Sagon, commander of Naval Forces Northern Luzon, visited the military facilities on Jan. 12.
Maj. Gen. Arturo Rojas, commandant of the Philippine Marine Corps, and Brig. Gen. Bob Apostol, commander of the 4th Marine Brigade and Joint Task Force Dalampasigan, also joined the visit.
In addition to inspecting the Naval Detachment Mavulis, which is the northernmost and most remote military outpost safeguarding the nation’s borders, the officials also visited the Forward Operating Base in Mahatao and Basco.
“This visit provided an opportunity to assess the operational readiness and strategic significance of Mavulis Island, identify infrastructure and resource needs, and develop solutions to enhance the defense posture of the northernmost region,” the Philippine Navy said in a statement.
“It also underscores the military’s unified effort to strengthen multi-domain operations and safeguard the country’s sovereignty in northern Luzon,” it added.
During his visit to the same military outposts in Batanes last year, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said that he wanted to increase the military presence in Batanes to strengthen the country’s defense posture in the north.
Teodoro added that he wanted to see more military structures developed in Batanes, citing that the province is considered the spearhead of the Philippines as regards the northern border.
The annual Balikatan (shoulder-to-shoulder) military exercises between Filipino and American troops have also taken place in Batanes.
