PH Navy eyes acquiring 2 more warships, 6 offshore patrol vessels

The Philippine Navy on Wednesday said two more corvette warships and six offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) are in the pipeline for acquisition under the military's modernization program.

"We have more on the pipeline, two more corvettes and six OPVs," Philippine Navy spokesperson for West Philippines Sea (WPS) Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad told Dobol B TV in an interview.

According to Trinidad, $35 billion or more than P2 trillion has been allotted for the "Re-Horizon 3" or third phase of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Modernization Program.

"Hindi ito one-shot deal. Hindi ito pagkatapos ay nandoon na tayo. Ito ay continuing. May assessments ito. It will be a continuing program to develop our capability," he said.

(This is not a one-shot deal. It is continuing and assessments will be made. It will be a continuing program to develop our capability.)

"May iba't ibang kakayahan ito for the AFP. Cyber, command and control capabilities, sea, air, land capabilities," he added.

(It is for different capabilities for the AFP—cyber, command and control capabilities, sea, air, land capabilities.)

Earlier this year, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. announced that President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has approved revisions for Horizon 3 of the AFP Modernization Program.

In 2021, the Department of National Defense signed a P28-billion contract with South Korean company Hyundai Heavy Industries for the acquisition of two modern corvettes for the Philippine Navy.

The procurement plans of the military comes amid tensions in the South China Sea as Beijing claims almost the entire area including parts claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei.

Last Wednesday, the China Coast Guard launched water cannon attacks and sideswiped BFAR vessel BRP Datu Pagbuaya in the vicinity of the Bajo de Masinloc.

Trinidad also told Dobol B TV that the Philippine Navy would continue conducting patrols in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) but vowed not react to the continuing aggressive actions of China, which has used its own navy in the area.

In 2016, an international arbitration tribunal in Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines over China's claims in the South China Sea, saying that it had "no legal basis." China has not recognized the decision. — VDV, GMA Integrated News