First K9 academy to rise in Clark

CLARK, PAMPANGA – A K9 academy, the first of its kind to be established in Southeast Asia, is now being built by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

Last August 21, 2021, DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade oversaw the groundbreaking ceremony for the project in a 10-hectare land area at Clark Special Economic Zone in Pampanga.

With an initial budget allocation of Php 100 million donated by the Philippine Port Authority (PPA), the latter envisions the K9 Academy to meet the demands of government security forces, with a starting capacity of 100 K9 dogs and 100 handlers.

It will offer quality training procedures, tactics, and best practices for improving the dogs’ strength and potential and certification, assessment, and creation of research concepts. They also intend to undertake studies on WD pedigrees, including their acquisition and breeding, veterinary care, and resource management, among other things.

Tugade stated that the academy is open to other government agencies if they require trained K9 forces.

Upon completion, the PCG National K9 Institute will be equipped with a breeding facility and veterinary clinic for working dogs. It will also have a live explosive training site, an indoor training area, conference rooms for K9 handlers, and sufficient billeting spaces for in-house instructors, staff, and trainees.

Currently, the Coast Guard K9 Force has 414 working dogs and 266 active K9 handlers. They undergo obedience training and specialty courses every six months to improve their mandated functions on maritime law enforcement, maritime security, maritime safety, maritime search and rescue, and marine environmental protection.