A NAVY transport ship docked at Pagasa island in the West Philippine Sea last week, the first vessel to berth at the contested island since it was occupied by Philippines in the 1980s.
Lt. Maivi Neri, acting public affairs officer of the Naval Forces West based in Puerto Princesa City, said the BRP Ivatan docked at Pagasa island early morning of Wednesday last week and stayed there for about a day.
Neri said the ship brought troops to replace those who have been posted at the island for several months, along with food provisions. She said the ship also performed troop rotation and re-provisioning mission at other Philippine-occupied areas in the WPS.
Neri said the berthing of BRP Ivatan at the island was made possible by the near-completion of a port or beaching ramp in the area. The port has been under construction for the past few years.
Once completed, the beaching ramp will be used to bring in construction materials needed to repair the runway and improve other facilities at the island.
Neri said the port, 90 percent complete, can already accommodate a ship.
“This is the first ever,” Neri said, referring to the docking of a Navy ship at the island.
Navy ships had to anchor far from the island while doing troop rotation and re-provisioning in the past.
“We do ship-to-shore movement, using our rubber boats,” Neri said.
“Navy ships have been there before but they didn’t dock, they can’t get near the island,” Neri added.
Neri said the ship, skippered by Cdr. Bennie Demetillo, returned to Puerto Princesa City on Sunday after the successful mission.
