Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. stressed the need to sustain firepower and mobility of the Philippine Marine Corps as he highlighted efforts to boost military presence and capabilities in Palawan.

As he visited the headquarters of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Western Command in Camp General Artemio Ricarte in Palawa on Tuesday, Teodoro stressed the need for a stronger and sustained military presence in the province which has territorial jurisdiction over the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG) in the West Philippine Sea.

The defense chief also noted the importance of establishing a significant and meaningful tri-service presence in the area to support territorial defense, internal security operations, humanitarian assistance and disaster response, and deterrence against unlawful and other nefarious activities.

“Palawan is the last frontier, right? Let’s make sure that it is the last frontier,” Teodoro said.

He also highlighted ongoing efforts to strengthen the presence and capabilities of the Philippine Army and Philippine Marine Corps in Palawan, including the establishment of at least a brigade-sized Army presence and the development of a sustainable growth plan for the Marine Corps.

"At the end of the day, a Marine Corps is not a Marine Corps if it has no mobility. And that is what we must work hard to provide, so they can sustain their lethality, firepower, and mobility," he said.

In previous interview, Lt. Gen. Donald Gumuiran, commanding general of the Philippine Army, confirmed a plan to deploy a brigade-sized troop in Palawan to support the Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept (CADC), a strategy designed to enhanced the capability of the military to secure the country's maritime territory.

An Army brigade with at least three battalions is composed of around 1,500 troops.

Presently there is an Army battalion with around 500 soldiers deployed for internal security operation and training activities in the province. Robina Asido/PHS