AFP, PCG to get boats from Cebu

CEBU - The Department of Defense is looking into purchasing locally-made ships from Cebu for the modernization program of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

This was announced by Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. during the recent signing of the memorandum of agreement between the Province of Cebu and the AFP for the remaining 12 parcels of lots of the Camp Lapu-Lapu, the headquarters of the military’s Visayas Command. 

Teodoro said while Cebu is currently the AFP's logistical hub for Central Philippines, the province is also home to ships and equipment needed by the military.

"You have an important role to play here not only in maintaining peace and security in Central Philippines.  Cebu builds ships, Cebu builds equipment that we need and therefore the synergy that we see today will continue but in a different dimension not only as a locator in the Province of Cebu but as a resource purchaser and resource user of the services, goods and other capabilities that your province can produce,” he said.

Teodoro said he is just waiting for amendments to the AFP modernization law to locally source military assets.

"May I also announce that I am happy to report that Congress has promised us two things: the amendment of the modernization law and procurement law of the armed forces, and number two, the strengthening of our self-reliant defense program or posture.That means to say, we will be able to invest long term as equity partners or as purchasers for locally manufactured defense goods and equipment," he said.

“So we encourage our legislators here today that we are waiting for these amendments by the end of the year so that by next year we can start to leverage the talents and abilities of the people of Cebu,” he added.

Balamban is known as the country’s shipbuilding capital with locators that include Japan-based Tsuneishi Heavy Industries and Australia’s Austal Corporation, and local builders Advance Catamaran Composites and Cebu Maritime Industry. The town is located in the northwestern part of Cebu where the soon-to-be-new Capitol government center will be built.

Aside from the military vessels, the Philippine Coast Guard is also expected to receive 40 new boats from Dynacast Shipbuilding and Repairs Inc. in Danao City. The new vessels would help the PCG fulfill its mandate in patrolling the Philippine territorial waters, as well as in search and rescue operations during maritime incidents and other disasters.

 

This was also confirmed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and announced this at the sidelines of the PCG’s 122nd Founding Anniversary celebration on October 17.

“The new vessel that we are seeing there, the 40-foot vessel that’s made in Cebu, yan ang isa sa mga idadagdag natin. ’We will eventually have 40 of them that would give us an increased capability. This is ongoing. We can see that our capability to defend our maritime (domain), the sovereign territory of the Philippines, is increasing,” he said. (Babie Jane Revecoy)