President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has supported the allocation of P29.3 billion for the acquisition of five additional multi-role response vessels (MRRVs) for the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).
PCG Commandant Adm. Ronnie Gil Gavan thanked Marcos for backing the coast guard's plan to acquire the 97-meter MRRVs from Japan under the Maritime Safety Capability Improvement Project (MSCIP) Phase 3.
Marcos and Gavan met during the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board meeting chaired by the Chief Executive on Thursday, Nov. 9.
Gavan shared that during the meeting, Marcos emphasized the need for the PCG's capability improvement to combat illegal activities and enforce maritime laws in the country's exclusive economic zones (EEZs).
He said the P29.3 billion budget covers the design, construction, and delivery of five MRRVs through Japan's Official Development Assistance (ODA) loan.
"With meaningful approval from the NEDA Board, the five-year integrated logistics support would allow us to enhance our maritime security operations, specifically in the West Philippine Sea, Southern Philippines, and Benham Rise," Gavan said.
"Rest assured, the PCG will continue to protect our territory, sovereignty, and sovereign rights anchored on rules-based and peaceful approaches for the benefit of Filipino fishermen and our fellow Filipinos who stand for what is rightfully ours," the PCG chief added.
Last week, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida visited the country and bared that Tokyo will provide five ships to the PCG as part of efforts to improve its operational capabilities.
The ships will be patterned after BRP Teresa Magbanua (MRRV 9701) and BRP Melchora Aquino (MRRV 9702), which were acquired by the PCG from Japanese shipmaker Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co. Ltd. in 2022 under the MSCIP Phase 2.
The PCG had also obtained 10 units of 44-meter MRRVs through the MSCIP Phase I. They were built by the Japan Marine United (JMU) Corporation in Yokohama Shipyard.
The MRRVs have since been used in maritime security and safety operations in the Philippine EEZ, and in safeguarding Filipino fishermen and upholding the country's sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) amid the threat posed by the presence of Chinese vessels in the said waters.
They are also being used in performing search and rescue (SAR) missions, and humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR) efforts.