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Navy chief Vice Adm. Giovanni Carlo Bacordo on Saturday inspected two retired gas platforms in Palawan which will be converted into a monitoring station for Recto Bank and Malampaya gas platform.

“This inspection intends to look at the viability of these retired gas platforms to be converted to observation posts for Recto Bank and Malampaya gas platform," Bacordo said.

"This will further enhance our capability to protect our maritime interests in these strategic locations," he added.

Lt. Commander Maria Christina Roxas, acting Navy public affairs director, said Bacordo visited Nido and Matinloc, located in Malampaya, northwest of Palawan on Saturday.

"Before the inspection, the Navy chief visited the headquarters of Joint Task Force (JTF) Malampaya in El Nido, Palawan where he was accorded with a Foyer Honor upon his arrival and met all personnel assigned there," she said.

"Naval Forces West commander, Commodore Renato David and 3rd Marine Brigade commander, Brig. Gen. Nestor Herico also joined the activity," she added.

Roxas said Bacordo who was accompanied by Navy Captain Donn Anthony Miraflor, and Naval Staff for C4ISR, Capt. Marcos Imperio was transported by Naval Helicopter AW109.

According to Roxas "the Department of Energy (DOE) last year ceased the over 40 years of production operations of the two gas fields."

"The transfer of ownership of these platforms was offered by the DOE in several meetings of the National Task Force in the West Philippine Sea," she said.

"It is the DND’s position to acquire said platforms and expeditiously transfer it to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)," she added.

Roxas said the AFP plans to convert the two retired gas platforms into a Philippine Navy Littoral Monitoring Stations (LMS).

"The platforms' location is deemed to be ‘strategic and vital’ due to its proximity to

Recto Bank, Malampaya and Galoc gas fields. The Malampaya Gas Field is located 820 meters deep, 80 kms off the coast of Palawan which falls under the area of responsibility of Naval Force West," she said.

"The future LMS of the Philippine Navy is a welcome addition to the Navy’s improving

capabilities to better serve our maritime nation especially in its critical location near the nation’s source of natural gas," she added. Robina Asido/DMS