The Philippine Coast Modernization has a budget set aside by the Philippine Government with an amount of 6.7 Billion pesos. The funding will be use in the procurement of Modern Patrol Boats, New SAR Capable Helicopters And Weapons.
The funding will use to the procurement of ten 44-meter Parola Class Patrol Boats, 24 meter fast patrol boats, an 82 meter Offshore Patrol Vessel and two 94 meter high endurance vessel. The 44 meter Parola-class patrol boats primary role is a rescue vessel within the Philippine Coast Guard areas of responsibility (AOR), control Oil pollution and protection of the marine environment. Enforcement of maritime laws in particular to any related illegal fishing and sea patrol.
It also serve as a platform for rapid response during relief operation in the area and transport of personnel and logistical support. This project of the Philippine Coast Guard and Department of Transportation and Communication was funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency's under Official Development Assistance (ODA) loan. The Japanese Shipbuilder is the Japan Marine United Corporation (JMUC).
The four brand new 24 meter fast patrol boat will be build and supplied by OCEA from France. The FPV 72 Mark 2 is the boat offered by OCEA to the Philippine Coast Guard which was visited by Secretary Arthur Tugade in Sables d"Olonne, France. Aside from the four fast patrol boat, the contract also includes a brand new 82 meter offshore patrol vessel. The OCEA variant offered is the OPV 270 Mark 2 which will be delivered in 2019. Also as part of the contract, OCEA will do the five year preventive maintenance for all five boats, spare parts and technical assistance and training for the crew. Lastly Tugade pointed out that the Philippines is a strategic location for a regional hub in ship repair, building and how OCEA can do business as supplier of patrol boats to other countries in the region.
President Rodrigo Duterte approves the purchase of the two 94 meter high endurance Off-shore Patrol Vessel under the Maritime Safety Capability Improvement Project (MSCIP) for the Philippine Coast Guard with a coast of Php8 Billion. The Vessels are expected to be delivered November 2020 and March 2021 for the two vessels. The Philippine Coast Guard will be capable to conduct continuous maritime patrol up to 15 days at 15 knots with the range of 4,000 nautical miles. Also, Philippine Coast Guard will be capable of patrolling Sea-State 6 which the wave is as high as 6 meters in height. The Philippine Coast Guard claimed that each vessel will enable them to rescue or recover as many as 500 passenger in maritime disaster event as well as to provide them with wider maritime coverage for strategic and national security purposed.
The Philippine Coast Guard will also buy numbers of Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat or RIB. These RIBs will be used to deploy troops aboard from the bigger patrol vessel or from shores. These can serves as lifeboats in performing search and rescue operations. They will be helpful in vessel interdiction and non-complaint boarding team operations. They can also help in fighting off terrorist as well as prohibited drug smugglers aboard a motorized boat. There are at least three hot spot in our coastal areas which requires high and intensive coastal patrol operation. The three are West Philippine Sea, Northern Luzon and Sulu Sea.
The Philippine Coast Guard also announce to buy Search and Rescue Helicopter aboard the bigger vessel. As announced, the Philippine Coast Guard reveals to buy Airbus H145M fitted for Search and Rescue Operation and Humanitarian and Disaster Response. The cost of the aircraft as revealed by a Mindanao Lawmaker, is Ph686 million.
In view of the upcoming vessels, the Philippine Coast Guard opens 4,000 new positions uniformed personnel. The increased from 8,930 this year to 12,930 in 2018 of authorized positions which will be trained to fill the vacancies due to manning of the upcoming vessels.
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