Batanes lighthouses get navigational equipment, solar lights

FOUR lighthouses in Batanes are getting equipped with navigational and solar lights, improving maritime safety in the countrys northernmost waters, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said in Monday.   

The coast guard team arrived in the province Sunday using the BRP Gabriela Silang vessel and started installation work on Monday at the Sabtang lighthouse.  

This is part of a 15-day mission to ensure the safety of fishermen and mariners navigating the expansive waters of the province,the PCG said in a statement in Filipino.   

Batanes is composed of several islands, with the northernmost Mavulis just about 100 kilometers from Taiwan.   

Mavulis is an uninhabited island with a permanent Philippine military outpost equipped with a solar power system and desalination plant. It also has a shelter area for fishermen during rough weather.   

The three other lighthouses that will be installed with navigational lights are in Mahatao, Ivana, and Valanga. MSJ