Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao commander Commodore Alfonspin P. Tumanda (holding microphone) during the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas on August 13, 2024.
DAVAO CITY (PIA)—The Philippine Navy-Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao is hoping to have more vessels under the Armed Forces of the Philippines modernization program to secure the country’s waters in the southeastern part.
“May mga OPV tayo, mga corvettes, we are looking forward as part of the modernization of our navy yung capability upgrade program natin darating pa yan mga 2026, 2028, and 2030. Ang maganda doon ay kahit papaano mayroon tayong modernization program,” Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao (NFEM) commander, Commodore Alfonspin Tumanda, said during the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas episode held this morning (August 13, 2024) at NCCC VP.
(We have OPVs, we have corvettes, and we are looking forward to the modernization of our navy through the capability upgrade program. The ships will be delivered in 2026, 2028, and 2030, but the good thing is that somehow we have a modernization program.)
The navy’s capability upgrade program under Horizons 2 and 3 of the Armed Forces of the Philippines modernization program will help the navy perform its mandate, says Tumanda.
“Nakatutulong ang capability upgrade lalong lalo na sa external defense operations, sa borders natin,” Tumanda said.
(The capability upgrade will help, especially in our external defense operations within our borders.)
The Philippine Navy is also expecting two guided missile corvettes, six Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV), two landing platform docks, and the remainder of the ordered Fast Attack and Interdiction Craft-Missile (FAIC-M) Acero gunboats.
On June 21, NFEM welcomed PG 906 BRP Yurong, an Acero-class FAIC-M gunboat, which was commissioned on May 22. The BRP Yurong is a missile capable of spiking NLO (non-line of sight) missile systems.
Currently, NFEM has five patrol vessels; the largest is the Patrol Ship BRP Artemio Ricarte (PS-37), a Jacinto Class Patrol Vessel.
“Eto (PS3-37) medyo malaki siya, capable siya pumunta sa mga borders natin hanggang sa eastern seaboard natin 200 nautical miles pupunta sila doon,” Tumanda said.
(The PS-37 is a bit larger; it can go to our borders up to the eastern seaboard, 200 nautical miles.)
“Our ship is not that big; sabi ko nga pag nagpapatrulya sila doon just in case kung malaki na talaga ang alon ay wag na kayong tumuloy kasi delikado na,” Tumanda said.
He said they also have a sharing scheme for PS-37; when it conducts patrols on the eastern seaboard, the vessel proceeds up to Cebu.
Filling in the gaps in the patrols are the aircraft and helicopters of the Philippine Air Force and the Navy’s own air assets.
“Kung wala yung barko natin, yung aircraft natin ang nagpapatrol doon,” Tumanda said.
(If there are no ships, it’s our aircraft that conducts patrol.).
The NFEM also maintains littoral monitoring stations in Governor Generoso (Davao Oriental), Balut Island (Davao Occidental), and Kiamba (Sarangani Province) equipped with radars to monitor passing vessels. (PIA/RG Alama)
