STANDING GUARD A contingent of the Armed Forces of the Philippines stands in formation at one of the outposts of its Northern Luzon Command (Nolcom), which recently installed high-tech Harris radios at the naval detachments on Mavulis island in Batanes and also on Fuga and Calayan islands in Cagayan. PHOTO FROM AFP-NOLCOM
MANILA, Philippines — The Armed Forces of the Philippines has installed high-tech Harris radios in the naval detachments in Batanes, the Philippine province nearest Taiwan, and in two other islands in northern Luzon.
The upgrades were made on Mavulis Island in Batanes and on Fuga and Calayan islands in Cagayan from April 21 to 23 amid heightened maritime tensions between Manila and Beijing in the West Philippine Sea.
The Philippine Navy maintains a naval detachment on Mavulis, which is about 140 kilometers from the southern tip of Taiwan. Fuga and Calayan are located in the Luzon Strait north of mainland Luzon, which is considered a vital international waterway.
READ: Nolcom and northern borders
In a statement, the AFP’s Northern Luzon Command (Nolcom) said the newly installed communication equipment “are designed to provide reliable and secure voice and data communication capabilities, even in challenging environments.”
Being proactive
It would “significantly enhance communication capabilities” across Batanes province and the two other islands, “strengthening maritime security and external defense efforts in the region,” Nolcom added.
“Our proactive approach to enhancing communication infrastructure and ensuring the readiness of our strategic outposts is crucial to safeguarding our national interests and promoting regional stability, particularly in maritime security and external defense,” Nolcom chief Lt. Gen. Fernyl Buca said.
A site inspection of the Mavulis naval detachment was also conducted to ensure “the operational readiness of strategic military installations” within Batanes.
Northern ‘spearhead’
In February, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said he wanted an increased military presence in Batanes to fortify the country’s defense posture in the north, adding that “the operational tempo for the AFP will be higher” in 2024.
Teodoro also said he wanted the development of more military structures in Batanes, citing that the province is “the spearhead of the Philippines as far as the northern baseline is concerned.”
Batanes will again host some of the activities of this year’s “Balikatan” (shoulder-to-shoulder) exercises between Filipino and American troops, with observers from 14 countries. —NESTOR CORRALES