THE United States has turned over to the Philippine Marine Corps a newly constructed assault boat pier and maintenance bay facility in Cavite City for amphibious and interdiction operations.
The facility, located inside the Marine Base Ternate, was turned over by US embassy officials to Marine officials in rites last Friday.
The construction of the facility was supervised and funded by the US through its Foreign Military Financing grant, according to Marines spokesman Maj. Emery Torre.
Torre said the facility was built by a construction firm contracted by the Joint US Military Assistance Group (JUSMAG)-Philippines.
Torre said the facility will cater to six riverine craft set to be acquired from the US for the use of the Marine Corps Assault Boat Battalion. He declined to say when the riverine craft would arrive.
“Before receiving the six units, we should have a boat ramp, maintenance facility. We should have this facility before receiving the riverine craft,” Torre said.
In a statement yesterday, the US Embassy said the facility was among the three construction projects in the Philippines covered by a $5 million (P256.9 million) funding under the Foreign Military Funding grant of US government.
The first was constructed in Zamboanga City and was turned over to Philippine authorities last November. The Cavite facility was the second.
The third is still being constructed in Puerto Princesa City and is due to the completed “in the coming weeks,” the US Embassy said.
The embassy said the facility will be used by the Marine Corps Assault Boat Battalion “to conduct sea-to-shore amphibious operations and maritime interdiction boardings at sea.”
