Despite the spiraling fuel prices brought about by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, all military activities related to protecting the West Philippine Sea (WPS) will continue, a ranking Philippine Navy (PN) official said Tuesday.
"All activities of the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) for this year that are operational in nature will continue. It's our mandate that should be performed," Philippine Navy spokesperson for the WPS, Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, said in a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.
He assured the public that the AFP will continue performing its mandate, especially when it comes to protecting the country's sovereignty and territories.
Meanwhile, AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla assured the public that operational missions aimed at securing Philippine territory and disaster response will continue even as their military administrative offices adjust to alternative work arrangements amid the looming oil crisis.
Padilla said the AFP is ready to implement the appropriate measures while ensuring that its primary mission, which is to protect the Filipino people and safeguard our national security, remains uninterrupted.
"May mga 'enercon' (energy conservation) measures po tayo (we already have enercon in) support of the greater national effort. So, while administrative offices may eventually adjust our work arrangements, depending on the guidelines that is going to be set, ang mga (our) operational missions po natin (will) continue 24/7, whether it is territorial defense, disaster response, or internal security operations, patuloy po natin itong gagampanan (we will continue to fulfill them)," she added. (PNA)