CAMP AQUINO, Tarlac City—The Northern Luzon Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines announced it would spearhead the building of a civilian facility in the Mavulis Island of Batanes Province, the country’s farthest island in the north.
“The fishermen’s shelter project, set to start April this year, will increase presence of local fishermen in the region,” reads a statement released by Lt. Col. Isagani Nato, Nolcom spokesperson.
AFP believes the presence of civilians in the area would contribute to the protection of the country’s marine resources and enhance the information gathering around the area.
“The materialization of this endeavour is through the active participation and cooperation of the Local Government Units [LGUs] of Batanes and the community, with the AFP,” Nato said.
The structure will serve as a “multi-purpose shelter” complete with amenities for locals fishing in the vicinity, considering its distance from other islands, the nearest of which is Itbayat.
It will double up as shelter for Nolcom troops visiting the island to guard the country’s northern maritime domain.
Due to the isolation of the area, poachers are frequently encroaching during fishing season.
A Memorandum of Agreement between the AFP and stakeholder sponsor was scheduled to be signed in Basco, Batanes on Friday.
The parties to the MOA include the Chief of Staff of the AFP, the Nolcom Commander, the Governor of Batanes, and the President of Republic Cement and Builders Materials Inc. as the key sponsor.