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The Philippine Ports Authority officially turned over to the Philippine Coast Guard its K-9 Training Academy in Mabalacat, Pampanga
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The PPA-PCG K-9 Training Academy is a pioneering facility designed to enhance capabilities of K-9 units in port security operations
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Highly-trained K-9 teams will be deployed to various ports across the Philippines to support security operations and enhance the country’s ability to combat illegal activities in the maritime domain
The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) officially turned over its P92.886-million K-9 Training Academy to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).
The PPA-PCG K-9 Training Academy in Mabalacat, Pampanga, a pioneering facility designed to enhance capabilities of K-9 units in port security operations, will now be managed and operated by the PCG, the ports authority said in a statement.
With the transfer, PCG will further strengthen its counterterrorism, anti-smuggling, and law enforcement efforts at the nation’s critical maritime points of entry, PPA noted.
“Ang konsepto po nito ay nais po natin na magkaroon po ng mas episyente at mas praktikal, at cost-effective na pagpapalago ng ating K-9 capability sa pamamahala po ng Philippine Coast Guard,” PPA general manager Jay Daniel Santiago said in a speech during the turnover ceremony on November 20.
(The concept is to have a more efficient and more practical, cost-effective expansion of our K-9 capability regulated by the Philippine Coast Guard.)
Santiago said the K-9 Academy is just the beginning of this partnership with PCG, as the intention is to expand the K-9 Academy to the premier provider of K-9 services and security in the country, particularly in ports and other transportation hubs.
As security threats continue to evolve, PPA noted that the K-9 Academy seeks to address the growing demand for highly-trained K-9 units by offering specialized training programs that prepare K-9 teams for a wide range of security challenges, including detection, search and rescue, and anti-terrorism efforts.
The K-9 Academy is equipped to handle the training needs of at least 128 K-9 dogs and 100 handlers. The facility includes several specialized sections, including a canine development center, canine school, a canine breeding center, canine hospital, and a kennel management and biosecurity unit.
These areas are designed to offer comprehensive training for various K-9 roles, including bomb threat detection, fugitive apprehension, narcotics interception, and other security-related functions.
PPA said the highly-trained K-9 teams will be deployed to various ports across the Philippines to support security operations and enhance the country’s ability to combat illegal activities in the maritime domain.
For his part, PCG commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan thanked PPA “for opening the doors to other stakeholders who would like to get the services of the Philippine Coast Guard.”
Gavan noted that the country currently has no K-9 authority and they hope that with the new facility, PCG can request the appropriate government agencies to recognize the Coast Guard as the K-9 authority of the country.
The establishment of the K-9 Academy is part of PPA’s broader strategy to enhance the security infrastructure of the country’s ports, with a focus on increasing operational efficiency and reinforcing the protection of vital economic and transportation hubs.
READ: First K9 academy in Southeast Asia to open Q1 2024 – PPA
