AFP NOLCOM's Forward Operating Base opens in Batanes

The Armed Forces of the Philippines - Northern Luzon Command (NOLCOM) on Thursday formally inaugurated its Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Mahatao, Batanes.

The facility serves to boost "the country’s northernmost territorial defense and enhancing capabilities for Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response (HADR)," the NOLCOM said in a press release.

NOLCOM Commander Lieutenant General Fernyl Buca, Philippine Navy Flag Officer-in-Command Vice Admiral Jose Ma. Ambrosio Ezpeleta, Batanes Governor Ronald Aguto Jr. and Northern Luzon Naval Command Commodore Edward Ike de Sagon were at the inauguration together with members of the NOLCOM Multi-Sector Governance Council.

The FOB will host Navy and Marine units of the Northern Luzon Naval Command and Marine Battalion Landing Team-10 (MBLT-10) who are tasked to secure the Batanes Strait, monitor maritime activities, and support inter-agency operations, NOLCOM said.

“The Mahatao Forward Operating Base strengthens our ability to defend the northern frontier and ensures that NOLCOM, together with the Province of Batanes, can respond swiftly to both security challenges and disasters,” Buca said.

“This partnership with the local government shows how national defense and local governance work hand in hand for the protection of our people," he added.

Batanes is the closest Philippine province to Taiwan and serves as a gateway to the West Philippine Sea and the Philippine Sea.

"The Mahatao FOB strengthens the country’s ability to protect sovereignty, expand maritime domain awareness, and respond rapidly to emergencies in the northern frontier," NOLCOM said. —KG, GMA Integrated News