Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Officer-in-Charge, CG Vice Admiral Eduardo D Fabricante led Coast officers and personnel as they warmly welcomed MRRV-9701 or one of the PCG’s biggest acquisitions to date in Port Area, Manila today, 26 February 2022.

Department of Transportation (DOTr) Assistant Secretary for Maritime, Vice Admiral Narciso A Vingson Jr joined the welcoming ceremony for the first of two 97-meter multi-role response vessels (MRRVs) under the DOTr’s Maritime Safety Capability Improvement Project (MSCIP) Phase II – a Japanese-assisted project funded by an Official Development Assistance (ODA) Loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

The said vessels have a maximum speed of not less than 24 knots; an endurance of not less than 4,000 nautical miles; and are capable of conducting sustained maritime patrols in the country’s maritime jurisdictions.

These MRRVs, modeled after the Japan Coast Guard (JCG) Kunigami-class vessels, are expected to improve the PCG's maritime security and maritime safety capabilities as they will be deployed to support the ongoing operations of the PCG Task Force Pagsasanay.