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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider 'What a waste': Zubiri laments failed procurement of P2.5-B PCG patrol vessel

'What a waste': Zubiri laments failed procurement of P2.5-B PCG patrol vessel

Published Mar 11, 2026 10:27 am
Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri, on Tuesday, March 10, lamented the failure to procure a P2.5-billion patrol vessel for the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), calling it a lost opportunity to strengthen the country’s maritime capability.
Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel “Migz” F. Zubiri during his privilege speech on Tuesday's plenary session, March 10, 2026, bemoans the slow pace of government procurement after learning that the P2.5 billion budget allocated for the purchase of a 60-meter ship for the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in the 2024 General Appropriations Act (GAA) is no longer available and has reverted to the national budget. (Senate PRIB photo)
Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel “Migz” F. Zubiri during his privilege speech on Tuesday's plenary session, March 10, 2026, bemoans the slow pace of government procurement after learning that the P2.5 billion budget allocated for the purchase of a 60-meter ship for the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in the 2024 General Appropriations Act (GAA) is no longer available and has reverted to the national budget. (Senate PRIB photo)
In a privilege speech, Zubiri disclosed that the funds allocated by the Senate for this had been reverted to the national treasury after the procurement process failed to proceed.
Zubiri said the Senate had approved the allocation in the 2024 national budget to help modernize the PCG amid heightened tensions in the West Philippine Sea.
The senator recalled that in 2023, when incidents involving the China Coast Guard drew national attention, he pushed for the funding of a 60-meter offshore patrol vessel while he was Senate president.
“At that time many senators were voicing outrage, but I felt that if it was only rhetoric, nothing would happen. We had to put our money where our mouth was,” Zubiri said.
According to Zubiri, the Senate in the 19th Congress approved a P2.5-billion allocation for the vessel in the 2024 General Appropriations Act. A special provision was also inserted to speed up procurement by allowing government-to-government transactions or negotiated contracts and permitting the acquisition of both brand-new and slightly used equipment in good condition.
The senator said the arrangement could have paved the way for a possible deal with Austal Limited, an Australian shipbuilder with a facility in Balamban, Cebu, which had expressed interest in the project.
He said the vessel could have been built locally, potentially employing around 3,000 Filipino shipbuilders.
However, Zubiri said the procurement process stalled.
Citing a letter from PCG commandant Ronnie Gavan, the senator said the coast guard requested an Authority to Purchase Motor Vehicle (APMV) and a Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) in February 2025 through the Department of Transportation for endorsement to the Department of Budget and Management and the Office of the President.
The request reached the Office of the President in June 2025. The APMV and SARO were issued in September and October 2025, respectively.
Zubiri said the initial pre-bid conference was attended by three local shipbuilding firms, with bid opening scheduled for Dec. 18, 2025. But one shipbuilder later declined to participate, setting the process back since it had been considered the most technically suitable supplier.
A second pre-bid conference was held on Dec. 3, 2025, with four prospective suppliers, but no bids were ultimately submitted.
In his letter, Gavan said the PCG would attempt to pursue the procurement again under conditions more conducive to compliance with legal and procedural requirements.
Zubiri, however, said the P2.5-billion allocation has already been reverted to the national treasury.
“What a waste. What a pity for our men and women in the Coast Guard. We fought for the PCG to have this budget and yet it has been wasted," Zubiri said, noting the difficulties faced by personnel deployed in areas such as Zambales and Palawan while operating aging vessels.
The senator said the Senate worked hard to secure funding for the PCG, even prioritizing maritime defense amid competing demands for education, health, and social services.
“This could have been sailing the West Philippine Sea by now — a bold statement of our sovereignty and proof that the Philippine government supports the men and women of the Coast Guard,” he said.
Zubiri also questioned whether the delay was due to corruption, ineptness, or incompetence in the procurement process.
He called on the Senate to use its oversight powers, particularly through the finance committee, to investigate what happened to the procurement and determine accountability among the relevant agencies, including the PCG, the Department of Transportation, and the Department of Budget and Management.
The senator also urged a broader review of funds previously allocated to agencies such as the Department of National Defense, the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources to determine whether the allocations resulted in actual procurements.
“We want to know if the problem is corruption, ineptness or incompetence,” Zubiri said.
“Because we want to correct it,” he added.

Related Tags

Philippine Coast Guard Migz Zubiri West Philippine Sea maritime patrol
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