Philippine Coast Guard needs P90B for patrol ships

THE PHILIPPINE Coast Guard (PCG) on Tuesday said it needs P90 billion to buy 30 flag-bearing ships, as it tries to boost its capacity to patrol the South China Sea.

At a Senate budget hearing on the Department of Transportation and its attached agencies, Philippine Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Artemio M. Abu said the ships would cost about P3 billion each.

“We need the Coast Guard’s floating assets to increase to serve each regional office we have,” he said, adding that P90 billion is a “modest” estimate. “We need funds to establish more coast guard bases and of course, acquire assets and facilities for our own people. “

He said the Philippine Coast Guard’s 15 regional offices need about two large ships each to carry out their operations.

The coast guard has 28 large ships and more than 500 small boats, Mr. Abu said.

Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian had asked Mr. Abu how much the PCG needed to make their operations more efficient and more “respectable,” citing sea tensions with China.

Under the proposed 2024 national budget, the PCG was allotted a budget of P24 billion, with its confidential funds unchanged since 2009 at P10 million.

Senators have been pushing to increase the budget of defense agencies to boost Philippine maritime security.

Senator Ana Theresia N. Hontiveros-Baraquel earlier said the PCG should get as much as P600 million in intelligence funds to help it deter China’s aggression in the disputed waterway.

Senate President Juan Miguel F. Zubiri vowed to back funding requirements for the PCG and the Armed Forces of the Philippines “whether it be confidential, intelligence funds or funding that will give you proper equipment for your needs in the West Philippine Sea.” — John Victor D. Ordoñez