MANILA – The Philippine Navy (PN) has announced that one of its landing craft heavy, the BRP Ivatan (LC-298), left Sangley Point in Cavite on Saturday to transport National Identification System (PhilSys) registration kits to the Visayas.

Lt. Commander Maria Christina Roxas, PN public affairs office chief, said the vessel is skippered by Commander Paul Anthony Yamamoto and is carrying 35.48 tons of cargoes.

This includes 1,897 PhilSys registration kits to be distributed to eight provinces in the region – Cebu, Bohol, Iloilo, Antique, Capiz, Negros Oriental, Negros Occidental, and Leyte.

“This is in line with the logistics support extended by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) using its sea, air, and land assets to enable the distribution of PhilSys registration kits to 32 PSA provincial offices all over the country,” Roxas added.

Aside from the Navy, the Philippine Army covers the distribution in Luzon and the Philippine Air Force in Mindanao.

“This mission underscores the capability of the PN, among other AFP branches of service, to provide much needed logistical support, especially in this time of pandemic when interisland and provincial transportation are limited,” she added.

Roxas said this further demonstrates the PN’s readiness to collaborate with other government agencies toward bringing to the people the services they need. (PNA)