TO secure the country’s maritime domain against all forms of foreign encroachment, the chairman of the House Committee on Strategic Intelligence is pushing for the passage of a bill seeking to earmark an initial P5 billion for the installation of a dozen naval outposts.
Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny T. Pimentel filed House Bill 9420, or the proposed Philippine Navy Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) Act. This was after the Department of Foreign Affairs fired off another diplomatic protest last Friday against the persistent deployment and “illegal activities of Chinese maritime assets and fishing vessels” around Pag-asa Island, and demanded their withdrawal.
Under the bill, four of the facilities shall be positioned in Luzon’s western seaboard and three in the eastern coast.
He said the FOBs envisioned to guard the West Philippine Sea shall be established in Lubang Island in Mindoro Occidental; Subic Bay in Zambales; and, in the Palawan towns of Busuanga and Balabac.
Pimentel said those intended to keep watch over the Philippine Rise (formerly Benham Rise) shall be put up in Polillo Island in Quezon, and in towns of Divilacan and Casiguran in Isabela and Aurora, respectively.
Five other FOBs shall also be built in Mavulis Island in Batanes; Allen, Northern Samar; Surigao City; Sarangani, Davao Occidental; and in Mapun Island in Tawi-Tawi.
The bill defines an FOB as an outpost where the Navy can carry out its basic functions and duties, and which can later be upgraded and expanded for national security purposes.
“We expect the outposts to serve as the future staging and resupply sites for the Navy’s new generation of warships and battle craft,” Pimentel said.
On top of the two multi-role guided missile frigates recently put into service, the Philippine Navy is procuring 16 new warships—another four frigates and 12 corvettes—between now and 2028, Pimentel said.
He added it is also buying 18 offshore patrol vessels, 40 fast attack interdiction craft and 42 smaller multi-purpose assault boats.
Recently, Pimentel said the Philippine Navy has released its Strategic Basing Plan of 2040 identifying small-scale naval and military facilities where the it can carry out its constitutionally-mandated duty and also can serve as a potential sites for future upgrade and expansion for national security purposes. Twelve key sites were identified in strategic locations around the Philippines.
“However, budgetary constraints have caused the slow implementation of this crucial undertaking by our navy. Be it as it may, the present international situation requires a decisive implementation considering the situation and various incidents occurring in the waters of the West Philippine Sea,” he said.
“We are duty-bound to protect and preserve the vast natural gas deposits as well as the lush marine life in our strategic waters for the enjoyment of future generations of Filipinos,” the lawmaker added.