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PCG, AFP shifting to new defense strategies, tech upgrades to guard West PH Sea
Philippines
National
PCG, AFP shifting to new defense strategies, tech upgrades to guard West PH Sea
PCG, AFP shifting to new defense strategies, tech upgrades to guard West PH Sea
Published May 29, 2026 03:47 pm
At A Glance
- Speaking at the Kapihan sa Manila Prince Hotel on Friday, May 29, top officials from the AFP and PCG laid out coordinated strategies to shift from traditional defense models into high-tech and multi-domain operations specifically tailored for the defense of the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad (middle) talks about the latest developments in the West Philippine Sea during the Kapihan sa Manila Prince on May 29, 2026, which was moderated by former Senator Joey Lina (leftmost) and former Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. (rightmost). They were accompanied by Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Commandant, Admiral Ronnie Gil L. Gavan (second from left) and AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla (second from right). (Photo: Mark Balmores | Manila Bulletin)
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) are overhauling their operational blueprints, embracing modern domain warfare, and executing massive equipment upgrades to secure the country’s maritime territories against persistent Chinese aggression.
Speaking at the Kapihan sa Manila Prince Hotel on Friday, May 29, top officials from the AFP and PCG laid out coordinated strategies to shift from traditional defense models into high-tech and multi-domain operations specifically tailored for the defense of the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
PCG Commandant, Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan revealed a major fleet expansion that aims to transform the country into a premier maritime force in the region.
“The Philippine Coast Guard has been funded by our government to acquire at least 56 additional ships in the next five years. By then, we may be considered one of the strongest Coast Guards in Southeast Asia. That will be the legacy of our President [Ferdinand Marcos Jr.],” Gavan said.
The Coast Guard chief outlined a three-pillar governance approach for the WPS: maritime domain awareness and response, coastal state administration, and international cooperation.
As part of this push, he said the PCG has established a specialized district directly on Pagasa (Thitu) Island to further make its presence felt and assert the country’s sovereignty over the WPS.
“At present, we see it [Pagasa Island] as a frontier. But we told the Coast Guard, no. It should be the maritime heartland. It should become the center of governance and security in the West Philippine Sea, on the side of the Philippine Coast Guard, and perhaps the whole country,” Gavan said.
Deepening flashpoints, 'power vacuum'
The current friction in the WPS stems from decades of shifting geopolitical dynamics and AFP special spokesperson for the WPS, retired admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad traced the roots of the current crisis back to the early 1990s.
“In 1992, the US bases were pulled out and there was a power vacuum. That was when we noticed Chinese markers in the South China Sea and the West Philippine Sea,” Trinidad recalled.
Following that power vacuum, Trinidad said Beijing systematically escalated its territorial encroachments within Manila's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
“From 1992, we noticed their illegal presence in our EEZ. Then there were coercive actions. It was not yet called ICAD at that time. There were ramming incidents, there was reclamation of artificial islands, and these were later militarized. And the current status is they continue to have an illegal presence in our maritime domain,” he continued.
“They carry out coercive and aggressive actions against our maritime assets, including the Coast Guard, BFAR, AFP, and Navy. They also engage in deceptive messaging. Every time they commit illegal and coercive aggressive actions, they put out statements making it appear that we are the ones at fault, that we are the ones intruding on them. That is the situation,” Trinidad stated.
He emphasized that to prevent the construction of new artificial islands, Manila requires a “persistent presence in the maritime domain to pre-empt any further development by the adversary.”
He noted that island-building “will not happen overnight” and the government possesses a diverse toolbox to counter it, including diplomatic, law enforcement, and socioeconomic instruments.
New domains of battle
To address the evolving geopolitical pressures, the AFP is breaking away from conventional physical warfare and AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla explained that the military is actively reshaping its organizational structure to counter modern and non-kinetic threats.
In response, the AFP has created dedicated cyber and intelligence commands to counter emerging espionage activities and digital threats. These adjustments are structurally integrated into the military's overarching Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept (CADC).
The AFP is also marking a historic milestone this year with the 10th anniversary of the arbitral award, which invalidated China’s claims in the South China Sea, on July 12.
To defend this legal victory against foreign disinformation, the military has launched a targeted counter-narrative strategy called “transparency initiative.”
“We have operationalized this through our Communications Plan Mulat," Padilla explained. “Mulat is awakening. It is three-pronged, ‘Our Seas, Our Rights, Our Future.” Padilla emphasized that the initiative aims to heighten patriotism and historical awareness across generations.
Global alliances, self-reliance
To support the strategic shifts, the AFP is concurrently leveraging international partnerships and indigenous defense manufacturing.
Trinidad revealed that the administration has recently secured enhanced defense relations with five additional countries. He also highlighted a major policy breakthrough with Tokyo, timed with Marcos’ latest diplomatic visit to Japan.
"We have now elevated our relationship with Japan. We have the three principles for the transfer of equipment and technology. Lethal equipment is now open to us. Before, it was only non-lethal military capabilities. All of these will help enhance the AFP in performing its mandate,” he said.
On the domestic front, the AFP explained that the military is pairing foreign acquisition with the Revised Self-Reliant Defense Posture (SRDP), a policy that ensures the Philippines, through its indigenous capabilities and materials, can stand on its own in terms of defense capabilities.
The PCG is also reinforcing regional alliances, and Gavan reported that the ASEAN Coast Guard Forum—an initiative spearheaded by the Philippines and Indonesia—is transitioning into an official sectoral body of ASEAN.
He said this development aligns with the Philippines’ hosting of major ASEAN chairship activities next month. Furthermore, the PCG currently chairs the Regional Cooperation against Piracy and Armed Robbery against ships in Asia Pacific (ReCAAP).
When questioned about whether the Philippines can withstand mounting pressures in the WPS, Trinidad maintained that strategic capability is secondary to national resolve.
“The question is, can we do it alone? It is not a matter of capability," Trinidad said. "What is at stake is the will to fight. And I would like to say that the Filipino, the individual Filipino has proven over time, over history, that we are prepared to defend our sovereignty and our independence. We have a lot of—we have many Filipino heroes who have proven that we are ready to fight for what is ours.”