The government has set aside P1.6 billion to turn the biggest Philippine-held island in the Spratlys into a tourist attraction and marine research center, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said on Friday. Lorenzana visited here along with the top echelon of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, including AFP chief of staff Gen. Eduardo Año, Philippine Army chief Lt. Gen. Glorioso Miranda, Air Force chief Lt. Gen. Edgar Fallorina, and Western Command chief Lt. Gen. Raul del Rosario. Besides repairing the runway, Lorenzana said the government also planned to put up a fishport, radio station, power plant, desalination plant, an ice plant, while the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources will set up a marine research facility.

Tubeza, P. C. (2017, April 22). PH to turn Pag-asa into tourist attraction. Philippine Daily Inquirer, pp. A1, A4.