Repair of Pag-Asa island facilities underway

The contract for the improvement of facilities on Pag-Asa Island has been awarded but actual spade work has to wait until the weather improves, according to Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana.

“I don’t know when it will start but a contract has been awarded to a contractor so it’s their call now. It’s up to them because at this time of the year the sea is rough and it’s very difficult to go there,” Lorenzana said.

The contract covers the repair of the unpaved airfield on the island town which is close to an artificial island built by the Chinese over Zamora (Subi) Reef.

He said the contractor, who he did not name, should have started the improvement of the airfield before July when the weather was still good and the sea was calm.

There is no beaching ramp on Pag-Asa that transport vessels could use to unload construction materials. Without a beaching ramp, a ship carrying construction materials would have to depend on smaller vessels to move its cargo to the coast.

Such operation is difficult or impossible to carry out in bad weather.

“The sea is now choppy and they will find it difficult but it’s up to them (contractor) when they will start the work,” Lorenzana said in ambush interview at the Mall of Asia after a speaking engagement.

Armed Forces of the Philipines (AFP) chief Gen. Eduardo Año also said the military is pushing for projects aimed at improving the living conditions of troops deployed in all nine military outposts in the region.

He said improving the troops’ living conditions is a way of raising their morale.

Pag-Asa of the Kalayaan Island Group used to be a garrison before it evolved into a town of 200 to 300 civilian residents.

Told that China is likely to protest the military activities in the Kalayaan Island Group, Año stressed the improvements of facilities are not violative of the Declaration of Code of Conduct in the South China Sea.

“Under the Code of Conduct, you can improve the islands, reefs and shoals that you are presently occupying. What is not allowed is to occupy additional areas like islands or atolls in the region,” Año said in a recent interview.