A new P1.4 billion Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) training facility is set to rise in this town, as the agency aims to establish a dedicated academy to produce the next generation of Coast Guard officers.

Coast Guard District Bicol Commander Philipps Soria announced the landmark project on June 4, saying that the facility will be patterned after the prestigious Philippine Military Academy (PMA) and Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA), offering a four-year degree program for high school graduates.

Soria expressed hope to the media that the PCG Academy would be located in Albay during an interview at the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas forum.

The PCG has secured a 15-hectare lot in Bacacay where the training facility will be constructed. 

Soria said they have already requested the release of the initial P200 million fund from the Department of Budget and Management to start the project, which is expected to be completed in five to seven years.

Soria explained that if the budget is released without delays, the facility could be completed in five to seven years.

The official also said the training facility in Bataan will be transferred to Albay once the new academy is operational, allowing the PCG to produce 300 to 400 officers per year.

Soria expressed gratitude for the support of the local government of Bacacay and Ako Bicol Party-List Rep. Elizaldy Co, as well as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Department of Public Works and Highways, in making this project a reality.

“This project will have a very good impact in terms of recruitment. For now, if you want to be a PCG officer, you must be a college graduate and a holder of professional or civil service eligibility. With this academy, it will be a four-year course of recruitment just like the PMA and PNPA. It would be from high school graduates, and they will be trained for four years,” Soria said, according to a Philippine News Agency report.

The establishment of the PCG Academy in Albay is seen as a significant investment in the Bicol region, providing more opportunities for young Filipinos to pursue a career in the Coast Guard and serve the country’s maritime interests.