NAVAL vessels from the Philippines and United States sail in formation during the conduct of the Phl-US Maritime Cooperative Activity in the West Philippine Sea, showcasing combined naval capability, operational interoperability, and the collective resolve of allied forces to safeguard maritime security.  Photograph courtesy of AFP
NATION

AFP: Operations in WPS to continue amid oil price hike

Lisa Marie Apacible

All military activities related to protecting the West Philippine Sea (WPS) will continue amid the rising fuel price hike brought by the Middle East war, an Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) official said on Tuesday, 10 March. 

In a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City, Philippine Navy spokesperson for the WPS, Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad told reporters that the military remains committed to carry out its mandate. 

 "All activities of the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) for this year that are operational in nature will continue. Trinidad said.

He stressed that the army cannot be slowed in fulfilling its duties, especially in protecting the country’s sovereignty. 

Meanwhile, AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla stated that their operational missions will continue despite the adjustments made in their administrative works amid the looming oil crisis.  

“May mga 'enercon' (energy conservation) measures po tayo (we already have enercon in) support of the greater national effort. So, while administrative offices may eventually adjust our work arrangements, depending on the guidelines that is going to be set, ang mga (our) operational missions po natin (will) continue 24/7, whether it is territorial defense, disaster response, or internal security operations, patuloy po natin itong gagampanan (we will continue to fulfill them)," she said.