The Philippines over the weekend emphasized its peaceful approach in addressing ongoing maritime disputes in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) and the South China Sea (SCS), citing the importance of de-escalating tensions with other claimant nations.
In a news forum on Saturday, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Commodore Jay Tarriela underscored the government’s decision to deploy PCG vessels instead of Philippine Navy (PN) forces in the contested waters.
“The only reason why you see Coast Guard vessels in the West Philippine Sea is because we don’t want to militarize the dispute,” he explained. Tarriela said this “de-escalatory and non-provocative” measure aims to defuse tensions not only with China, but other states.
The PCG official, meanwhile, added that efforts continue to modernize their operations with the support of allied nations such as France and Japan, which are aiding the enhancement of their assets and capabilities.
France is assisting in the construction of 40 fast patrol crafts, each 35 meters long. Additionally, the PCG is set to acquire five more 97-meter patrol vessels from Japan.
Since President Ferdinand Marcos assumed office, the PCG has seen a significant budget increase, enabling the organization to grow to around 30,000 personnel, according to Tarriela.
“This is the reason why we were able to expand to as many as 30,000 strong right now. This is the reason why the Coast Guard can now expect more Coast Guard vessels from France and Japan,” Tarriela said.
