May 22, 2024 | NEWS DIGEST

 

By API Desk | Date 05-22-2024

 

Japan builds five Coast Guard vessels for the Philippines

 

The Philippine government has signed an Official Development Assistance deal with Japan to acquire five 97-meter Coast Guard vessels worth nearly 24 billion pesos to boost its maritime law enforcement capabilities.

 

This acquisition was made under phase 3 of the Philippine Coast Guard’s  Maritime Safety Capability Improvement Project (MSCIP) and financed by a soft loan from the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

 

The Philippines already has two multi-role response vessels (MRRV), the first two were acquired in 2020 through a loan from JICA. This second loan agreement includes the development of required support capabilities. 

 

Japan is the country’s top bilateral ODA partner, offering support outside military upgrades such as health, agriculture, and humanitarian assistance. 

 

 

Marcos to stop destabilization attempts

 

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has vowed to fend off any plot to destabilize his government, ordering the security services to unmask groups behind the sinister activities.

 

Marcos told troops during a talk at Camp Edilberto Evangelista in Cagayan de Oro City to focus on their goal to end the century-old Communist insurgency. 

 

Marcos also told the troops to develop their skills ‘to combat new forms of warfare, including those that extend up to the digital realm,‘  such as false narratives, disinformation, and digital operations.

 

The president last month gave marching orders to the military to eradicate Communist rebels.

 

 

 

Admiral Carlos is out – military

 

The Armed Forces has confirmed the commander of the Western Command in Palawan has been permanently replaced after going on personal leave. 

 

Military spokesman Colonel Xerxes Trinidad said that Rear Admiral Alfonso Torres Jr, who had been in acting capacity since May 7, will now assume the position full-time. Trinidad added this was an administrative decision. 

 

Torres, set to retire in February 2026, replaced Vice Admiral Alberto Carlos, whose name was dragged into a controversial “new model” deal with China. 

 

The supposed new model will have the Philippines deploy one Coast Guard vessel and one resupply vessel to Ayungin Shoal while China will also send one Coast Guard vessel and one fishing boat. Top Philippine foreign affairs and security officials had denied the said agreement. 

 

 

Navy deploys warship in Sabina Shoal

The Philippine Navy has sent one of its warships to Escoda Shoal, internationally known as Sabina Shoal, to prevent China from reclaiming its strategic feature and building another artificial island.

 

Naval spokesman Commodore Roy Vincent Trinidad said they have increased patrols in Sabina Shoal after receiving reports of Chinese maritime vessels in Escoda Shoal. 

 

Coast Guard divers also found dead corals piled up at the shoal’s seabed, which may indicate small-scale reclamation. Trinidad said China had built seven manmade islands in the West Philippine Sea a decade ago.

 

China gained control of Scarborough Shoal in 2012 after a standoff with Philippine government vessels. Since then, the Chinese have prevented Filipino fishermen from entering the shoal’s lagoon.