Philippine to buy 5 Japan-made coast guard ships

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is set to acquire five new patrol boats from Japan for P23.85 billion.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo and Japanese Ambassador Endo Kazuya led the signing and exchange of diplomatic notes for the official development assistance (ODA) loan yesterday for the Third Phase of the Maritime Safety Capability Improvement Project (MSCIP).

“This occasion signifies not only the deepening of bilateral relations between the Philippines and Japan, but also underscores our unwavering commitment to enhance our maritime safety capabilities for the benefit of our nation and the broader maritime community,” Manalo said.

Part of the program for the acquisition of five 97-meter offshore patrol-capable Multi-Role Response Vessels (MRRV) is the development of required support facilities for the PCG.

The ships will be delivered in 2027, PCG Commodore Jay Tarriela told “Storycon” on One News yesterday.

He said the ships are the same size as the biggest one in the PCG fleet.

The signing was witnessed by officials from the Department of Finance, the Department of Transportation and the Japan International Cooperation Agency. Japan is the Philippines’ top bilateral ODA partner. — Michael Punongbayan, Marc Jayson Cayabyab