PCG decentralizes hiring process

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has brought the recruitment of its personnel to the provinces to give opportunities to those who are qualified but cannot afford to go to Manila to apply.

This year, the PCG went to Negros Occidental, Bicol, Cebu and Zamboanga to recruit new members, according to Capt. Armand Balilo, spokesperson for the PCG.

Before, the PCG required applicants to go to Manila.

For the last quarter of this year, the PCG aimed to hire 4,000 new members to bring the total number of its forces to 17,000. Next year, it intends to hire 6,000 more.

“We devolved the recruitment to the district level so we could accommodate applicants from the provinces. They will be given equal opportunities to join the PCG. We are sharing the job to residents in remote areas such as Tawi-Tawi and Jolo in Sulu. The less privileged, but are qualified and willing to serve, will be given the opportunity. This is why we made the recruitment regional,” Balilo said.  

He said under the previous process, applicants from the provinces were compelled to borrow money or sell their property to finance their needs when applying in Manila. 

Today, designated recruitment areas at the district level have one-stop-shops where applicants can obtain documents needed to complete their application.

“The PCG has evolved. We are no longer just a seagoing agency. We are a maritime service agency performing different technical functions. PCG chief Adm. Joel Garcia wants to professionalize and specialize our personnel in a particular field such as marine environmental protection, maritime safety and aids to navigation,” Balilo said.