Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. has urged Northern Luzon Command (NOLCOM) troops to prepare for potential action in case of a Taiwan invasion.

“If something happens to Taiwan, we will inevitably be involved. There are 250,000 OFWs working there, and we will have to rescue them. It will be NOLCOM’s task to lead that operation,” Brawner said during the unit’s 38th anniversary on 1 April.

NOLCOM Commander Lt. Gen. Fernyl Buca assured that contingency plans have long been in place.

“Matagal na yan. We are prepared to implement these plans,” he said in a phone interview.

However, Buca declined to comment on the evolving situation, stating that “no one can say for sure about the dynamics of war,” but he reiterated that the plans are ready for execution if needed.

NOLCOM jurisdiction includes the Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Cagayan Valley, and Central Luzon—covering strategic areas like Scarborough Shoal, Benham Rise, and Batanes, which is just 190 kilometers from Taiwan.