Navy chief, Vice Adm. Giovanni Carlo Bacordo. (File photo)
MANILA – The Philippine Navy (PN) said it has deployed small boats to prevent non-essential sea travel in compliance with the enhanced community quarantine.
In a radio interview on Sunday, PN flag-officer-in-command, Vice Admiral Giovanni Carlo Bacordo said this is part of the Navy's efforts to help contain the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.
"Our small boats are also contributing to the PCG (Philippine Coast Guard), who are patrolling the ports of the big cities in the enforcement of this (enhanced community) quarantine," he said in a mixture of English and Filipino.
He also assured continuous patrolling activities in the country's vast maritime territories amid the health crisis.
"(Despite) this Covid-19 crisis, we would like to assure (our) 'kababayans' (fellow Filipinos) that we still continue to patrol the seas, our (maritime) territory, our contiguous zone and our exclusive economic zone," he added.
Bacordo said the PN's big ships are deployed to patrol the West Philippine Sea and waters off the Zamboanga Peninsula and the provinces of Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi.
"(The PN's) internal security and territorial defense operations (are still ongoing despite) this Covid-19 crisis," Bacordo said.
Earlier, the Armed Forces of the Philippines said that eight PN ships are deployed to help the government in its Covid-19 efforts.
These vessels are tasked to pick-up and deliver urgently needed medical supplies and personnel all over the country aside from picking up new supplies of protective personal equipment (PPE) sets from abroad. (PNA)
