The Philippine Coast Guard aims to be the most powerful ‘coast guard’ in Southeast Asia, with the basis primarily delving into the purchase plan into getting at least forty (40) 35-meter vessels and five (5) additional Teresa Magbanua-class MRRVs.
THE MAIN POINT
Discussions regarding the Philippine Coast Guard aiming to be the most capable one in Southeast Asia, albeit a welcoming development, are a bit of a stretch, especially in the point of view that involves vessel composition.
The highlight, pointing to the purchase of forty (40) 35-meter vessels and five (5) additional Teresa Magbanua-class Multirole Response Vessels, will not suffice the needs fit for a most powerful coast guard in Southeast Asia, especially that a neighboring country like Vietnam fields more large-sized Coast Guard cutters in its fleet such as the Hamilton-class cutters (sister ships of the Del Pilar-class OPV of the Philippine Navy, the Damen OPV 9014 and the TT-1500 (Aso-class) OPV from Japan, totalling thirteen (13) vessels overall.
As the Philippine Coast Guard comprise primarily of ten (10) units of 44-meter Parola-class MRRVs and two (2) 97-meter Teresa Magbanua-class MRRVs, it might be more ideal for the maritime law enforcement to tap into adding larger vessels aside from getting five (5) more 97-meter vessels, one of which is tapping the HDP-2200 OPV design that HD Hyundai Heavy Industries offered to the Philippine Coast Guard as part of its expanded marketing reach to the country, aside from its usual construction and delivery of the slightly different HDP-2200+ OPV design for the Philippine Navy’s Offshore Patrol Vessel acquisition project.
Securing similarly sized vessels, alongside putting an idea of adding up orders for the 44-meter Parola-class MRRVs, will help the Philippine Coast Guard fulfill its duties further, especially in dealing with both the China Coast Guard and maritime militia vessels that pestering Filipino fisherfolk and the country’s legally grounded presence in the West Philippine Sea, within its 200 nautical mile Exclusive Economic Zone.
This idea will help the maritime law enforcement agency under the Department of Transportation fulfill its duties further, while ensuring that it builds the ideal capability it gets as one of the most powerful one in Southeast Asia, with the principle dwelling into ensuring the safety and welfare of Filipino fisherfolk and government personnel in securing livelihoods and duties of upholding the country’s sovereignty and sovereign rights, rooted under the International Law and the 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration decision favoring the Philippine plea.
Additional references:
PCG to become the ‘most powerful’ coast guard in SEA — Gavan
(Main Link/Archived Link)
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries’ HDP-2200 Offshore Patrol Vessel Offer to the Philippine Coast Guard
(Main Link)
(c) 2024 Pitz Defense Updates, a Pitz Defense Analysis extension.