Officials from the Mitsubishi Heavy Industry, Shimonoseki Shipyard, and Toyota Tsusho Corporation paid a courtesy call to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) today, 14 June 2022.

During the meeting, PCG Deputy Commandant for Operations, CG Vice Admiral Eduardo Fabricante conveyed the POSSIBILITY OF PROCURING ADDITIONAL UNITS OF 97-METER MULTI-ROLE RESPONSE VESSEL (MRRV) modeled after the Japan Coast Guard (JCG)’s Kunigami-class vessels like BRP Teresa Magbanua (MRRV-9701) and BRP Melchora Aquino (MRRV-9702).

Now formally commissioned into the Coast Guard service, BRP Teresa Magbanua (MRRV-9701) and BRP Melchora Aquino (MRRV-9702) will be deployed to the West Philippine Sea and Philippine Rise. This is to increase the endurance and patrol capabilities of the PCG as the said capital ships can stay up to 14 days at sea.

Moreover, the PCG Deputy Commandant for Operations also shared with the Japanese officials the successful participation of BRP Teresa Magbanua (MRRV-9701) in its first-ever mission — the Regional Maritime Pollution Exercise (MARPOLEX) 2022 held in Makassar, Indonesia on 22 to 29 May 2022.

Meanwhile, the Japanese officials headed by Project General Manager Yasunori Yamaguchi of Toyota Tsusho Corporation requested the delivery of PCG’s reports on the operational status and condition of lighthouses as reference for their proposal for the Aids to Navigation Rehabilitation Project. They also discussed the expansion of the Vessel Traffic Management Service nationwide.

Also present during the meeting were Commander of Coast Guard Fleet, CG Rear Admiral Charlie Rances; Chief of Coast Guard Staff, CG Commodore Tito Alvin Andal; Deputy Chief of Coast Guard Staff for Strategic Studies and Modernization (CG-15), CG Captain Eric Ferrancullo; Deputy Chief of Coast Guard Staff for Ships and Aircraft Engineering (CG-10), CG Commander Jonathan Coloma; Deputy Chief of Coast Guard Staff for Maritime Safety Services (CG-8), CG Commander Jomark Angue; and Acting Project Management Officer, CG Commander Anthony Cuevas.