Philippines accepts first of 10 Japan-funded patrol vessels to beef up coast guard

The Philippines on Thursday formally received one of 10 Japanese patrol vessels provided by an official development assistance loan to improve Manila’s maritime capabilities amid its territorial disputes with Beijing in the South China Sea. The 44-meter multi-role response vessel, which will be named BRP Tubbataha and assigned to the Philippine Coast Guard, was built by Japan Marine United Corp. in Yokohama and funded by a 7.3 billion peso ($158 million) loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency. The Philippine government is contributing 1.4 billion pesos to the 10-vessel project, which is expected to be completed in 2018. The BRP Tubbataha, the first of 10 patrol vessels provided by Japan, arrives at Manila port on Thursday to be assigned to the Philippine coast guard (Kyodo) Coast guard spokesman Armando Balilo said that, once commissioned, the BRP Tubbataha is likely to be deployed on patrol missions in the West Philippine Sea,...