Philippine Coast Guard

• Philippine Coast Guard is the oldest and only humanitarian armed service in the Philippines.
Its beginnings could be traced back to the early 20th century when coast guarding was
related to the protection of the customs services of the country and in patrolling the
coastlines and harbors.
• When the Americans came in 1898, one of the first steps that the military government
undertook was the reopening of the port and customs facilities of Manila. Soon after, the
civilian Insular Government, through the Philippine Commission, enacted a law on 17
October 1901 that created the Bureau of Coast Guard and Transportation, which was placed
under the Department of Commerce and Police. The Captain of the Port was designated as
Bureau Director.
• The lighthouse service was placed under the Bureau. In 1902, the Coast Guard fleet of 15
streamers from China and Japan was established and were assigned for the lighthouse
service inspection trips of top government officials, for transport to Culion Island, for
patrolling against illegal entry of aliens, and for troop movement of the Philippine
Constabulary.
• The Bureau of Coast Guard and Transportation was abolished on 26 October 1905 and the
Bureau of Navigation took over its functions. The Bureau of Navigation was authorized to
create a commissioned and enlisted service, and to adopt its own manual of court martial
patterned after the US Navy.
• Subsequently, however, the Bureau was also abolished on 19 December 1913 and the
organization and its functions were transferred to the Bureau of Customs and the Bureau of
Public Works until the establishment of the Commonwealth Government. After gaining
independence from the United States, the Philippine government ceded some of the coast
guard functions, such as the revenue cutter and lighthouse services, to the Philippine Naval
Patrol, which eventually became the Philippine Navy. A Coast Guard unit was activated
within the Philippine Navy to implement these functions.
• On 6 August 1967, the Philippine Congress enacted Republic Act 5173 of the Philippine Coast
Guard Law, which made the PCG a major unit of the Philippine Navy under a flag officer.
The PCG was activated on 10 October 1967 and its coast guard functions were transferred
from the navy.
• The civilian nature of the PCG functions led to the separation of the Coast Guard from the
Philippine Navy on 30 March 1998 by virtue of Executive Order 475 signed by President Fidel
Ramos. It order effectively transferred the PCG from the Department of National Defense to
the Office of the President, and eventually to the Department of Transportation and
Communications (DOTC) on 15 April 1998 by virtue of Executive Order 477.
• These executive orders provided inter alia that the PCG shall continue to the agency
primarily responsible for the promotion of safety of life and property at sea and the
protection of the maritime environment as mandated under the Philippine Coast Guard Law
and Presidential Decress 600, 601, 602, and 979, as a mended.
• The transformation of the PCG into a non-military organization has a tremendous impact and
significance. Its civilian character has allowed it to receive offers of vessels, equipment,
technology, services, cooperation and other needed assistance from other countries,
something which would not be readily offered to a military agency.
• With enactment of Republic Act 9993, also known as the Coast Guard Law of 2009, as well as
its implementing rules and regulations, the PCG has been vested with the necessary authority
and responsibility to perform preventive measures in ensuring the safety of merchant vessels.
The new law also strengthened PCG’s authority to meet new challenges and increasing
demands for marine resources, technological advancement and climate change. Further, the
law has defined the PCG’s rightful niche in the bureaucracy as the premier maritime agency
and its vital role in nation building.
The Philippine Coast Guard is mandated and
responsible to perform maritime search and rescue,
maritime law enforcement, maritime safety, marine
environmental protection and maritime security.
“By 2028, PCG is a world class guardian of the sea
committed to save lives, ensure safe maritime transport, cleaner
seas, and secure maritime jurisdiction.”
"We are a uniformed armed service that implements and
enforces all national and international maritime safety,
security, search and rescue, and marine environmental
protection laws in support of the integrated Maritime
Transportation Network objectives, national security and
economic development of the Philippines."
The Philippines is a signatory to IMO Conventions on
Marine Pollution of 1973 and 1978 (MARPOL 73/78). The
Philippine Coast Guard under RA 9993 is the sole agency
responsible for the Philippine implementation of the
Conventions with regards to oil pollution, prevention,
mitigation and control through the conduct of marine
pollution monitoring and control, enhancement of PCG
capability and oil spill response operations and
enforcement of all marine environmental laws and
regulations.
The PCG is likewise mandated to conduct MARITIME LAW ENFORCEMENT
(MARLEN) and implement laws on fisheries (and poaching), immigration, tariff and
customs, forestry, firearms and explosives, human trafficking, dangerous drugs and
controlled chemicals, and to implement the revised penal code and all other
applicable laws within the country’s maritime jurisdiction and battle transnational
crimes.
The PCG is authorized to board and inspect all watercrafts suspected to be

involved in or used in illegal trade. PCG personnel are also deemed agents of BFAR,
Immigration, Customs, DENR, PDEA, and INTERPOL in the performance of its MARLEN
function.
As a maritime organization under RA 9993 , it is deputized by 21 government

agencies to perform maritime law enforcement functions directed towards the
suppression of piracy, smuggling, poaching, illegal fishing, illegal entry, human
smuggling, illegal logging, drug trafficking, gun running and terrorist activities.
Maritime Security is another important function of the PCG.
Considering the archipelagic character of the country, it is vital to enhance
the security of its different maritime zones to protect the integrity as a
nation. In the performance of this function, the PCG contributes to
maintain good order at sea by conducting regular patrols and surveillance
for the safety of navigation of ships, to safeguard ships from illegal acts
and to promote freedom of navigation.
The PCG is likewise mandated to secure exploration and resource

utilization activities within the country's maritime jurisdiction.
In its Sea Marshal Program, the PCG manages composite security

forces composed of AFP, PNP and PCG elements to protect voyages of
passenger-laden vessels in domestic routes. The Coast Guard also boasts of
a newly established nationwide K-9 unit composed of highly trained sniffing
dogs deployed in the major ports throughout the country.
The Philippine Coast Guard is the country’s vanguard against the
entry of unsafe foreign vessels into the country through its Port State
Control. At present, the Philippine Coast Guard has seven (7) PSC Centers
and fifteen (15) PSC Divisions all throughout the archipelago. The PSC
Center in Manila has the bulk of all inspections based on frequency of
foreign ship calls.
Pursuant to RA 9993, the Philippine Coast Guard is mandated to
enforce regulations in accordance with all relevant maritime international
conventions, treaties or instruments of which the government is signatory
and national laws.
MARITIME SAFETY or MARSAF function is designed to help prevent
or minimize unnecessary loss of lives and properties at sea.
The seaworthiness of every vessel leaving the port is ensured
through the intensified Mandatory Pre-departure Inspection which include
the compliance of vessels to safety standards and prevention of vessels from
sailing for failure to comply with the standards; conduct of random
Emergency Readiness Evaluation and Operational Readiness Evaluation in the
ports; conduct of regular vessel safety inspections, and publication of Notice
to Mariners (NOTAM), and the implementation and enforcement of
navigational rules and designation of sea lanes, among others.
Further, the PCG is also responsible in issuing permits and supervises
all marine salvage operations. It is mandated to destroy or tow floating
hazards to navigation such as, but not limited to illegal fish traps and vessels.
Moreover, navigational safety is ensured by operating and/or
maintaining and servicing 565 lighthouses and more than 44 navigational
buoys around the country which guide and ensures safe voyage to mariners.
The Philippine Coast Guard, in accordance with the Convention
of Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), is the national maritime search and
rescue service of the country. The Coast Guard Action Center (CGAC) at
the PCG Headquarters in Manila, by virtue of the current functions and
facilities, serves as the coordinating centers for all search and rescue
operations. The twelve Coast Guard Districts are designated as Maritime
Rescue Coordinating Council (MRCC) within their areas of responsibility
while the 59 Coast Guard Stations are designated as Maritime Rescue
Sub-Centers (MRSC). The detachments under these stations are
designated as SAR units.
The PCG’s SAR organization maintains constantly-manned
watch centers that operate 24 hours a day, continuously monitoring
distress frequencies and conducting coastal foot and seaborne patrol
within their area of responsibility. There is at least one division or
squadron of Coast Guard Auxiliary in each MRSC where watch can be
set and assistance can be obtained when required. Likewise, at least
one Deployable Response Team composed of Special Operations
Group, Medical Team, K-9 and rescue swimmers is organized at each
Coast Guard District or MRCC which can be dispatched immediately to
any maritime and land base search and rescue operations.
Commandant, Philippine Coast Guard
Deputy Commandant for Administration,
Philippine Coast Guard
Deputy Commandant for Operations, Philippine
Coast Guard
Chief of Coast Guard Staff, Philippine Coast
Guard
1. It is the oldest and only humanitarian armed
service in the Philippines?
2. Republic Act 9993 is also known as?
3. In what year does the PCG foresee that they will
be the world class guardian of the sea committed to
save lives, ensure safe maritime transport, cleaner
seas, and secure maritime jurisdiction?
4-8. Functions of PCG
9. Who is the commandant of PCG?
10. PCG stands for?
1. Philippine Coast Guard/ PCG
2. Coast Guard Law of 2009
3. 2028
4. Maritime Environmental Protection
5. Maritime Law Enforcement
6. Maritime Security
7. Maritime Safety
8. Maritime Search and Rescue
9. ADM ELSON E HERMOGINO
10. Philippine Coast Guard

Philippine Coast Guard

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• Philippine Coast Guard is the oldest and only humanitarian armed service in the Philippines.

The PCG is authorized to board and inspect all watercrafts suspected to be

As a maritime organization under RA 9993 , it is deputized by 21 government

The PCG is likewise mandated to secure exploration and resource

In its Sea Marshal Program, the PCG manages composite security

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