The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) is adding a training ground for K-9 in the K9 Academy it is building for the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

“The PPA and the PCG will work hand-in-hand in providing additional facilities at the K9 Academy, which is a training ground for K-9 dogs. This is not included in the original plan, but we will provide adequate designs and building equipment for this added facility. The PCG, on the other hand, pledged that they will provide the manpower,” said PPA general manager, Atty. Jay Daniel Santiago during an inspection on Wednesday of the site in Mabalacat, Pampanga.

The K9 dogs of the PCG have been a vital help for the daily operations in all PPA-run ports, according to Santiago.

“With the superb talents of the PCG K9 to detect contrabands, particularly bombs and illegal drugs, we are assured that our ports are safe for travelers,” he said.

The K9 Academy is capable of providing quality training, breeding, maintenance and veterinary care for security dogs. The academy houses five organizations namely the Canine Development Center, Canine School, Canine Breeding Center, Canine Hospital, and Kennel Management and Biosecurity.

The K9 Academy aims to boost port security by producing K9s.

Aside from the PPA Port Police and the PCG, the K9 Academy can also cater to other government agencies’ future K9 requirements.

The academy can produce K9 units that are highly efficient in search and rescue, bomb threat detection, and fugitive apprehension.

With the facility, the PPA can save up to P40 million of its annual budget for hiring private working dogs and K9 handlers to maintain port security.

Santiago, on the other hand assured that all PPA-run ports are safe through the installed baggage x-ray machines, metal detectors, and new scanning machines.

Further, he said that port police personnel are equipped with body cameras, among other new equipment, to monitor activities in ports.

And for its coming 50th anniversary in July, Santiago said five major projects will be unveiled, dubbed as “Lima Po sa Limampu,” which includes the PPA-PCG Academy.