BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Negros Occidental will soon have two Coast Guard stations, as the Coast Guard District -Western Visayas District concentrates in maritime law enforcement operations, especially illegal fishing, disclosed yesterday by its commander, Capt. Edgar Ybañez.
Ybañez said they are targeting the activation of Coast Guard Station – Southern Negros before the end of 2021, as they are now waiting an order from the national headquarters.
He said that the soon activated Coast Guard Southern Negros station will oversee the humanitarian, security and law enforcement in southern Negros areas.
At present, the Coast Guard Station- Negros Occidental is located at Brgy. Banago in Bacolod City.
But Ybañez said there will be reshuffling of Coast Guard personnel in Western Visayas, for as long as the command structure is doing well.
Ybañez, who previously assigned as commander off Coast Guard District- North Eastern Luzon, replaced Commodore Hostillo Arturo Cornelio as Coast Guard- Western Visayas District commander on Oct. 5.
Cornelio is now the Coast Guard- National Capital Region District commander.
On the other hand, the PCG in Western Visayas is on “heightened alert” status in connection All Souls’ and All Saints’ Day celebrations, in anticipation of influx of travelers who may return to their respective provinces.
Ybañez said that they are tightening security at the ports of entry in the various parts of the region, and have also deployed their K-9 units in order to search for any illegal contraband that may possibly be smuggled by the travelers.*
