US Ambassador Sung Kim on Thursday visited the Philippine Coast Guard’s Training Center in Balagtas, Bulacan which was constructed to enhance the training capacity of PCG personnel and help maintain the operational readiness of its expanding fleet for maritime law enforcement operations.
Kim observed the first technical course conducted at the Balagtas Training Center, which was constructed with the support of the US government.
Commodore Joseph Badajos, commander of PCG’s Surface Support Force, hosted the visit to the future home of PCG’s technical workforce development.
The US is assisting PCG for developing the Balagtas Training Center in several phases. The first phase—Outboard Motor Center of Excellence —included a classroom, engine maintenance laboratory, and barracks.
The US Embassy in Manila said the American Coast Guard teams were conducting training events that would prepare PCG instructor candidates to lead future maintenance courses.
Kim and Badajos also discussed the next phase of the project, which will include a much larger, 16-classroom US-funded structure that will enable PCG to simultaneously train up to 200 personnel on a variety of technical specialties related to maritime engineering and seamanship.
“Scheduled for completion in early 2021, this enhanced training capacity will help maintain the operational readiness of PCG’s expanding fleet to conduct maritime law enforcement operations,” the US Embassy statement said.