3 MMRVs from Japan commissioned alongside PH Coast Guard’s 116th year

Alongside the Philippine Coast Guard’s 116th anniversary, three Multi-role Response Vessels were commissioned namely MRRV-4404 Capones, MRRV-4406 Suluan and MRRV-4407 Sindangan.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is likely to send three Multi-role Response Vessels (MRRV) it acquired from Japan to the West Philippine Sea.

The Japanese government also formally handed over to the PCG three 7- meter rigid hull inflatable boats in show of support to the Philippine Coast Guard’s role in implementing law and security in the coastal regions of the country.

Four MRRV are still to be delivered to the Philippines by the Japan International Cooperation Agency or JICA to complete the ten vessels promised by Japan.

According to national security secretary Hermogenes Espperon, one of the priorities for the deployment of the coast guard is the patrol of the West Philippine Sea.

They plan to send the vessels in the area likely in January or February after the training of the PCG. 

“We will have more coast guard ships for deployment nationwide especially in Cebu passage or in the tri-boundaries in Malaysia and Indonesia where we had the kidnappings before. With this, we can strengthen our trilateral maritime patrol to ward off kidnappers and other illegal activities that are proliferating every time we are not on patrol". said Sec Hermogenes Esperon.

According to PCG spokesperson Captain Armand Balilo, they are also planning to meet Chinese Coast Guards in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) to test the inter-operability of the two countries.

He said that part of the possible deployment of the MRRV would be in southern Philippines to combat piracy but according to Commodore Joel Garcia, he is contemplating of using them to patrol in West Philippine Sea. Which is also good, as our relationship with the Chinese Coast Guard is getting better.

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Transport Department commisions PCG's 3rd Parola Class Multi-Role Response Vessel

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) presided the commissioning ceremony of another Parola Class Multi-role Response Vessel to the Philippine Coast Guard.

Transportation secretary Arthur Tugade led the commissioning earlier today.

Tugade says the arrival of vessels from other countries for the maritime operations of the Philippines serves as a manifesto of the continuing improvement and modernization program of the current administration.

He further stated that, they are commissioning BRP Malapascu to underscore and make the promise of President Rodrigo Duterte a reality.

He also hopes that this is not the end of the modernization program but rather the beginning of both fleets coming in, more helicopters being purchased more construction being put in place.

Commodore Joel Garcia, the OIC of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) says, Japanese technology would significantly help in the improvement of PCG’s equipment especially in suppressing piracy in Philippine islands. 

"We have to have that safety security safety environmental numbering system on the haul of the boats for at least to law enforcers of the Coast Guards like policemen and military once they are at sea they can easily discern or distinguish those boats number automatically they will become suspects in operation”  Garcia adds.

The 44-meter long bulletproof vessel with assigned bow number 4403 was named after a Lighthouse in Malapascua Island, Cebu and is the third of the ten ships the Philippine government ordered from Japan under the maritime safety capability improvement project.

BRP Tubbataha (MRRV-4401) and BRP Malabrigo (MRRV-4402), the first and second Parola-class vessels were commissioned to coast guard service, October 2016 and December 2016, respectively.

The delivery of the vessels from Japan is expected to be completed in 2018.

These vessels will act as primary rescue vessels within the PCG District’s areas of responsibility (AOR) when the extent of the disaster is beyond the capability of floating assets deployed within the area.

It will also provide assistance in the control of oil pollution and protection of the marine environment; enforcement of all applicable maritime laws, particularly relating to illegal fishing and sea patrol.

Japanese ambassador to the Philippines Kazuhide Ishikawa says that Japan also pledges to become Philippines’ partner in improving its infrastructure, human resource development and in taking steps to reduce poverty rates.

He added that such programs are part of his country’s efforts to maintain a good relationship with the Philippines.

The ambassador also said that, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe clearly stated at a summit meeting that Japan would continue to assist the Philippines in its endeavor to develop the society.

PH Coast Guard receives it's 2nd Multi-role Response Vessel (MRRV) from Japan

The Philippine Coast Guard today received its newest ship – the Multi-role Response Vessel (MRRV) BRP Malabrigo.

This is the second of the ten ships the Philippines has loaned from Japanese government, intended for patrol operations in our maritime territories particularly in the West Philippine Sea.

It will also be equipped for maritime law enforcement and search and rescue operations.

According to PCG spokesperson Commodore Armand Balilo, Bajo de Masinloc is one of the possible destinations of BRP Malabrigo after its commissioning next week.

“Despite the improved relations between China and the Philippines with respect to deployment in Bajo [de Masinloc], we will continue our deployment and this might be sent there to demonstrate our presence and to monitor our fishermen there."

Based on the latest monitoring report, Chinese coast guard vessels have never left Bajo de Masinloc even when Filipino fishermen are allowed access to the area.

“Yesterday, we have the same monitoring [report] – there are Chinese fishing boats there and they are allowed to freely fish in the area together with our fishing boats but still there is presence of Chinese coast guard. I think there are four Chinese coast guard and Chinese militia vessels there.” said Cdr. Balilo

BRP Malabrigo (MRRV-4402) was named after Faro de Punta de Malabrigo, one of the 24 lighthouses built in Lobo, Batangas during the Spanish colonial period.

Its sister ship, BRP Tubbataha, was delivered earlier last October and is now being sent on patrol missions.

see: Philippine Coastguard has a new addition to its fleet

Japan is expected to deliver four Parola-class patrol vessels next year and another four in 2018.

The Philippines has also ordered two bigger ships from Japan during President Duterte’s visit last October and these will be delivered to the country in 2020.

Philippine Coastguard has a new addition to its fleet

A 44 meter multi-role response vessel named BRP Tubbataha is the newest addition to the Philippine Coastguard’s fleet.

The vessel is just one of ten that the government acquired from Japan.

The brand new vessel will be utilized for search and rescue operations, marine environmental protection and patrol of the West Philippine Sea.

Coastguard Chief Rear Admiral William Melad said they are regularly patrolling the West Philippine Sea and part of the job is to assist our fishermen in the area.

"It is our intention to protect them and to allow them to be able to fish again within the declared traditional fishing ground in Bajo De Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal)."

He says, after the arbitral tribunal came out with its ruling it is now clear that the contested area is part of our Exclusive Economic Zone and so Filipino fishermen should not be prohibited from fishing in the area.

It can be recalled that in the past the Chinese Coastguard has been driving away our fishermen from the West Philippine Sea.

“That is normal even in the past (passing of a Chinese vessel)...It is part of our exclusive economic zone, we could go there anytime we want to go." Melad said.

In one of PCG’s regular patrols in the region, it had a close encounter with a Chinese Coastguard vessel.

It happened a few weeks ago 70 to 100 nautical miles from Subic.

No confrontation or any untoward incident happened during the encounter.

Manila Bay declared ‘no sail zone’ for APEC-2015

The Philippine Coast Guard deploy its floating assets in Manila Bay for the APEC summit.

The PCG will implement a no sail zone in Manila Bay starting today until November 23, all kind of vessel will not be allowed 30 yards from the shoreline, an exclusion zone will also be implemented that will cover 2 nautical miles from the shoreline to seaward from the Pasig River up to Parañaque City.

All ship owners who wants to berth to other place must ask permission to the PCG while all domestic and international vessel that will berth inside the no sail zone will be escorted by the PCG.

"When we speak of exclusion zone we are referring to an area wherein we will not allow a vessel to sail except of they ask a permission before hand we may be able to provide permit, provided when we allow them to sail we will provide escort and Sea Marshall on board" said PCG-NCR Chief Commodore Joel Garcia.

Moreover, the PCG put the Pasig River under heightened alert to inspect bridges and informal settlers dwelling near the river.

70 floating asset that consist of the Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine Navy, PNP Maritime Group and Bureau of Customs are deployed to apprehend violators.The PCG also alerted all its stations in Visayas and Mindanao to monitor any possible threats and suspicious persons.

PCG said, operation of domestic ships that will dock to north harbor  will not be affected.

"If you referring to domestic vessel coming from ports of Visayas and Mindanao going to North Harbor I don't think they'll be affected because North Harbor is in the northern side of the Pasig River and it's not included in the exclusion zone" said Commodore Garcia.

The PCG calls on all trader and shipper that uses the port to understand that all of this are measures to secure all APEC delegates.

Philippine Coastguard to aquire French Naval Vessel La Tapageuse (P691)

July 19, 2013- A French naval vessel with a length of 54.8 meters will be added to the floating assets of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) next year, this is the LA TAPAGEUSE (P691).

This vessel came out from it's assembly line in 1987 and were equipped with armaments a year later.

PCG spokesman commander Armand Balilo said that DOTC secretary Jun Abaya approved the purchase of La Tapageuse two weeks ago

According to Commander Balilo, DOTC will shell out the sum of 6.2 million euros or 354 million pesos for the purchase of the former french naval vessel inclusive of it's reconditioning.

La Tapageuse will be used for boarder patrol, search and rescue, maritime law enforcement, maritime safety, environmental protection and security.

The vessel is equipped with 40 mm Bofor L60 anti aircraft gun, a 20 mm GIAT F2 cannon and two 7.62 mm anti aircraft machine guns.

In relation to this, PCG is under negotiation with French government for the acquisition of an additional 82 meter and four brand new 24 meter patrol vessels for the first quarter of 2015. 

Moreover, PCG is also due to receive ten new multi-role patrol vessels from Japan.

PCG's future floating assets might be deployed to West Philippine Sea in order to protect Ayungin and Scarborough Shoal which is claimed by China.

Meanwhile, 40 brand new 15 person capacity Zodiac rubber boats and 25 pieces of 300 aluminum hulled boats will be delivered to the PCG come September 2013. It has the capacity of ten people.

The remaining 275 aluminum hulled boats will be delivered early next year. These newly acquired boats will be brought to the province of Bicol for inter-island patrols.

-With Francis Rivera-UNTV Correspondent-