Second Japanese vessel arrives to help in Philippine maritime patrol
The second Multi Role Response Vessel (MRRV) of Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) from Japan which will help patrol the West Philippine Sea arrived in Manila on Thursday.
BRP Malabrigo (MRRV-4402) left the Land of the Rising Sun on December 2 and arrived at Pier 13 in South Harbor, Manila around 9 am.
It was manned by nine PCG personnel let by its captain, Lt. Commander Geronimo Tuvilla and eight Japanese sailing crews.
The arrival ceremony for MRRV-4402 was led by PCG Officer in Charge, Commodore Athelo Ybanez and Transportation Undersecretary for Maritime, Usec Felipe Judan.
Commander Armando Balilo, PCG spokesman, said the vessel is set to be formally commissioned to Coast Guard service “maybe Friday next week.”
Balilo said BRP Tubbataha, the first MRRV unit of PCG, is also conducting maritime patrol in West Philippine Sea.
“We have operations in West Philippine Sea particularly in Bajo de Masinloc and in Kalayaan Island. It is possible that one this is will be the destination of this vessel,” he said.
“Right now, although the relationship between China and Philippines has improved in term on the deployment in Bajo (de Masinloc), we will continue our deployment and this vessel is one of the ship that we may deploy there, so that our presence will also felt there and to monitor our fishermen in the area,” Balilo added.
Balilo said these two ships from Japan may be deployed to conduct patrol in Benham Rise located at the east coast of Luzon.
“Based on the initial plan that I know (it will be deployed in West Philippine Sea at Bajo de Masinloc) but it can also help in other areas like the Kalayaan (Spratly), there is also an order to patrol in Benham Rise but because the sea condition now is rough maybe we will just do it next year,” he said.
BRP Malabrigo. is the second MRRV unit, that was delivered after BRP Tubbataha was commissioned during the 115th founding anniversary of the PCG last month.
These two vessels, which were named after lighthouses in the country, were built by the Japan Marine United Corp. Yokohama Shipyard as part of the 10 units of 44-meter MRRV’s that were acquired by the Philippines under the maritime aafety capability improvement project of the transportation department.
This procurement was implemented as an Official Development Assistance (ODA) project through a tied loan by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
The loan facility for the project covers P 7,373,700,000.00 out of the total project of P 8,807,700,000.00 while the balance of P 1,434,000,000.00 will be sourced from the Philippine counterpart.
The delivery of these vessels, which has a standard cruising speed of 25 knots, and a range of 1,500 nautical miles, will be completed by 2018. Robina Asido/DMS
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