An American maritime security expert has declared the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) the bravest in the world. He made the statement in response to a lawmaker's call to abolish the agency. He also praised their resilience against challenges from China in the South China Sea.
In an interview on One News' 'Storycon' on Friday, Ray Powell, director of the SeaLight initiative at the Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation at Stanford University, said it is offensive for the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to be 'singled out' in an attack. This refers to controversial Cavite 4th district Rep. Francisco Barzaga Jr.'s call for the agency's abolition, claiming it is a 'waste of government funds.' The PCG has since called out the lawmaker's 'unfair statements.'
'There is no other coast guard that faces overwhelming odds with the devotion, with the resilience, with the professionalism, with the courage the Philippine Coast Guard does,' Powell said.
In a separate article on SeaLight's website, Powell noted that the PCG and its 'equally brave' allies at the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources have continued to support and safeguard Filipino fisherfolk in the face of Chinese blockades and threats. 'Against overwhelming odds and nerve-wracking danger, PCG crews have resiliently avoided retaliatory violence. Instead they calmly and meticulously document incidents, adhere to international maritime protocols and continue their missions with disciplined resolve,' he wrote.
He added, 'The PCG’s work transcends politics… Every Filipino should feel extraordinary pride in these sentinels who stand atop its watery periphery at great personal risk and cost. They embody what I, an outsider, believe is the resilient Filipino spirit: facing adversity with courage, integrity and poise.'
During the interview, Powell also reiterated his position that the United States should have an integrated strategy to address China’s 'gray zone' tactics in the South China Sea. Gray zone strategies refer to tactics that are more aggressive than normal diplomacy or competition but cannot be considered as acts of war, such as China’s use of militia vessels to assert dominance in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.
'Elements do not make a strategy… Somebody needs to be in charge of gray zone and counterstrategy,' Powell said, referring to various US actions in the Indo-Pacific. He pointed out that maritime militia consists of fishing ships that do not fish and are used as a paramilitary force. The expert suggested the US assign a deputy national security adviser to develop such a strategy, noting that despite much talk, no one has been in charge and an integrated response is needed.