Coast guard acquires 44-meter patrol vessel from Japan

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Thursday formally acquired from the Japanese government a 44-meter search and rescue vessel for its patrol operations especially in the West Philippine Sea.

The multi-role response vessel (MRRV) named BRP Tubbataha was formally turned over to the Philippine government in a ceremony at the PCG headquarters at Pier 13, South Harbor in Manila.

BRP Tubbataha is one of the ten multi-role response vessels (MRRVs) set to be acquired by the Philippine government from Japan through a P7.373-billion loan agreement entered into with JICA in 2013.

The acquisition of the ten MRRVs is part of the Department of Transportation’s (formerly Department of Transportation and Communications) P8.807-billion Maritime Safety Capability Improvement Project in cooperation with JICA.

The acquisition of the ten MRRVs is part of the Department of Transportation’s (formerly Department of Transportation and Communications) P8.807-billion Maritime Safety Capability Improvement Project in cooperation with JICA.

PCG Commandant Rear Admiral William Melad said that although the vessel was not a specifically built for combat operations, it would be a valuable asset of the Coast Guard in guarding the country’s maritime territory.

“In the past few years, we have all been witnesses to the growing and evolving challenges that the Philippine Coast Guard, the maritime community and the sea-traveling public had to face,” Melad said during his acceptance speech.

“Who would not be angered by violations committed against our maritime laws that sometimes resulted in maritime accidents, or worse, casualties? And who could afford to take the bullying of our fishermen within our maritime jurisdiction just sitting down? Not Filipinos, for sure,” he added.

“Basically this (BRP Tubbataha) is a law-enforcement vessel. This is not a warship. It is a multi-role response vessel. Ang primary mission niya will be environmental protection, mga humanitarian [operations],” Melad said.

“But pwede rin nga yung maritime security operations. Pero hindi yung talagang pang giyera. Patrol lang,” he added.

Pressed by the media on who he was referring to as “maritime bullies” in his speech, Melad responded: “Anybody that challenges or tries to impose their will to us”.

Just three weeks ago, a Chinese Coast Guard vessel entered the country’s exclusive economic zone about 70 to 100 nautical miles from the Subic coast, a traditional fishing area for the Filipino fishermen, PCG spokesperson Commander Armand Balilo told reporters at the sidelines of the vessel turnover ceremony.

Balilo said the Chinese Coast Guard vessel crossed paths with two PCG vessels patrolling the area as Filipino fishermen who just recently went back into fishing there.

He, however, was quick to add that “no untoward incident happened” as the both sides were “very polite” with each other.

“Very polite naman yung exchange of messages. Nagpakilala lang sila (Chinese Coast Guard) at nagpakilala lang din kami. Nagtanungan lang,” Balilo said.

Just last month, the United Nation’s Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) ruled that there is “no legal basis for China  to claim  historic rights to resources within the sea areas falling within the ‘nine-dash line”, a tongue-shaped claim of China of almost the entire South China Sea.

Meanwhile, Balilo said another one of the loaned MRRVs is set be turned over to PCG in December of this year, while four more are set to arrive in the first half of 2017.

Balilo said the remaining four MRRVs will be turned over by 2018.

Balilo said the BRP Tubbatahawill be deployed to the West Philippine Sea tentatively on September 22.

The vessel was built by the Japan Marine United Corporation (JMUC) in its shipyard in Yokohama, Japan. It has a standard cruising speed of 25 knots and a range of 1,500 nautical miles, the JICA said in a statement.

The BRP Tubbataha, named after Lighthouse Tubbataha located in Tubbataha Marine National Park in Palawan. —NB, GMA News