Turn-over Ceremony of Three 7-Meter Fast Boats and Commissioning Ceremony of Three 44-Meter Patrol Vessels

On November 20, 2017, Ambassador Koji Haneda attended the Turn-Over Ceremony of three 7m class fast boats (Rigid Hull Inflated Boats: RHIBs) and the Commissioning Ceremony of three 44m class patrol vessels (Multi-Role Response Vessels: MRRVs) at the Headquarters of the Philippines Coast Guard (PCG).  Secretary of Transportation, Atty. Arthur Tugade, National Security Adviser and Director-General of the National Security Council, Gen. Hermogenes Esperon also attended the ceremonies.  These high-speed boats and patrol vessels are provided to the Philippines through Japan’s Official Development Assistance (ODA).

The three 7m class high-speed boats are the first batch of the thirteen high-speed boats that will be provided to the Philippines with Japan’s grant.  They are provided in response to President Duterte’s direct request.   

The three newly commissioned patrol vessels are the 4th, 5th, and 6th vessels ,“Capones”,”Suluan” and “Sindangan” respectively of the ten 44m class patrol vessels that are financed, designed, and built through Japan’s support.  

Together with coastal monitoring radars that Japan has recently decided to provide to the Philippines, these newly provided ships are aimed to improve the Philippines’ patrol, search and rescue, anti-terrorism, and law enforcement capabilities.

In his remarks, Ambassador Haneda pointed out that President Duterte recently stated in Tokyo that our two countries are entering a “Golden Age” of strategic partnership, and that Ambassador Haneda is looking forward to working together in further strengthening such relations.