Manila and Paris have agreed to collaborate further in the areas of defense and maritime security following a meeting between French Ambassador Michele Boccoz and Navy chief Vice Admiral Adeluis Bordado.
Boccoz paid a courtesy visit on Bordado at the Navy headquarters in Manila on Wednesday wherein she was accorded a warm welcome prior to the formal discussions on bilateral defense and maritime security cooperation.
According to Navy spokesman Cdr. Benjo Negranza, Bordado discussed with Boccoz various collaborations and partnerships between the Philippine Navy and the French Navy, including port calls, naval exercises and training.
On the other hand, the French ambassador conveyed her pleasure for being at the Navy headquarters as “maritime is an area where France and the Philippines collaborate very closely.”
France is seen to play a big role in the capability upgrade program of the Philippine Navy by topping its modernization through its possible supply of the Navy’s much-sought submarines, which are already on the development stage.
While other countries have expressed their interests to supply the pair of submarine that the Navy initially eyed, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said that the Navy might just go for the French-made Scorpene class underwater craft.
In fact, early this year, the French Navy has already offered to help the Philippine Navy develop its submarine force, especially in the areas of training and project management, an offer that was followed up by a visit of a team of French submariners to the Philippine Navy.
In March this year, a contingent from the Philippine Navy led by then Navy chief Vice Admiral Giovanni Carlo Bacordo went to Paris for a bilateral dialogue wherein the discussions focused on naval cooperation and other areas of mutual interests.
Both sides agreed to the regular conduct of “navy-to-navy” talks, visits of senior navy officials and their participation in multi and bilateral naval exercises.
Negranza said that during the meeting between Bordado and Boccoz, rules-based order and the observance of international law and freedom of navigation were discussed, an apparent reference to the South China Sea problem.
“Building a relationship with France and the Philippine Navy through future engagements, training, and capability development were also among the highlights of today’s courtesy call,” Negranza said.
Image courtesy of Philippine Navy