The Philippines is building five lighthouses on islands and reefs in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon said on Wednesday.

Esperon said an initial five lighthouses were being built on Pagasa Island, Parola Island, Patag Island, Likas Island and Kota Island.

He said lighthouses are for safety of navigation in the area, noting that China has also built its own lighthouses.

“As a matter of safety of life at sea, we are contributing, which is our responsibility. We are also putting up several lighthouses,” he said at the weekly Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum.

The fishing community in the West Philippine Sea will benefit from the lighthouses, according to him.

Esperon added that the Philippines will also repair the runway on Pagasa Island, although satellite images released on May 17 by the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies showed that repair works has started on the runway.

READ: PH starts runway repair in Spratlys

“We are doing all of these quietly,” he said. “What is more important is upgrading these facilities for the comfort of our troops there.”    /muf