By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA — The Philippines has formally moved into the construction phase of five new 97-meter Multi-Role Response Vessels (MRRVs) for the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), as the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co. begin implementing the third phase of the country’s Maritime Safety Capability Improvement Project.
The project entered its implementation stage during a kick-off meeting held Aug. 24 to 28 at the Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Shimonoseki Shipyard in Japan, according to the DOTr.
The Philippine delegation was led by DOTr Assistant Secretary for Maritime Villamor Ventura Plan.
Plan described the construction and eventual delivery of the five vessels as a significant investment in the PCG’s operational capabilities, saying the ships are expected to enhance the agency’s ability to protect lives, strengthen maritime safety and security, and respond to increasing demands across Philippine waters.
During the initial implementation discussions, Philippine and Japanese project officials also focused on identifying possible technical, contractual, scheduling and operational risks at an early stage.
The effort is intended to address potential issues before they affect major project milestones, the DOTr said.
Once delivered, the five additional MRRVs are expected to expand the PCG’s ability to conduct sustained and extended operations throughout the country’s maritime domain.
The vessels will support a broad range of missions, including search and rescue, maritime law enforcement, environmental protection and other multirole operations.
The acquisition will also increase the number of major vessels in the Coast Guard fleet as the government continues its modernization program aimed at maintaining a stronger operational presence across Philippine waters.
The project is part of the administration’s Bagong Pilipinas initiative to develop a modern, capable and mission-ready PCG tasked with protecting lives and property at sea, enforcing Philippine maritime laws and safeguarding the country’s maritime interests and sovereign rights in accordance with international law.
The implementation of MSCIP Phase III marks the latest step in the government’s continuing effort to expand the Coast Guard’s capacity through the acquisition of larger and more capable vessels.
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