Guarding our seas and the blue economy

From the view deck of the Philippine Navy headquarters on Roxas Boulevard, Manila, one can get a majestic view of the famed Manila Bay sunset. It is as breathtaking and magical as the postcards show and it never fails to impress every single time.

A fleet of sleek white yachts and charming boats is backlighted by the setting crimson sun while the waters of Manila Bay glisten like a million diamond studs.

But beyond this beholding sight, somewhere between the devil and the deep blue sea, are maritime challenges which hamper our country’s full potential in harnessing the blue economy.

One recent afternoon while enjoying the view of the setting sun, I sat down with Philippine Navy Vice Commander Rear Admiral Caesar Valencia to talk about the Navy’s rich history, its enduring legacy and why, in this era of borderless trade, its mandate of guarding our seas is as important as ever.

Maritime threats

I learned that there are different kinds of threats facing the Navy. The most prevalent is IUU fishing or illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing which occurs both on the high seas and in areas within national jurisdiction.

“The biggest issue which is shared by other countries is IUU fishing. It’s rampant. It’s not just a problem within the Philippines but in the region,” said Rear Adm. Valencia.

It’s disturbing to hear about this. Why do unscrupulous companies and individuals engage in such bad practices which undermine national and regional efforts to conserve and manage fish stocks?

We thank the Navy for keeping a close watch on this.

Smuggling

Another rampant issue is smuggling.

Topping the list is oil smuggling, which is now a decades-old problem in the Philippines. It is commonly sourced from Malaysia where oil is cheaper, said Rear Adm. Valencia.

Cigarette smuggling is also a problem and it continues to hurt our legitimate cigarette players.

Smuggling, as we all know, deprives the government of much needed revenues. But it’s very challenging to stop it, especially if smugglers are in cahoots with people in power.

Smuggling of guns and illegal drugs is another common problem, more rampant in the northern part as illegal drugs come from the so-called Golden Triangle or that area where the borders of Thailand, Laos and Myanmar meet at the confluence of the Ruak and Mekong rivers.  It is said to be a major source of narcotics sold all over the world.

But of the different forms of smuggling, human smuggling is perhaps the most detrimental as it puts people’s lives in danger.

All these and of course the geopolitical tensions between Manila and China are just some of the threats hounding our porous borders.

Guarding this falls on the shoulders of the Philippine Navy, which continues to strengthen its capabilities to face our never-ending maritime challenges and to ensure the growth of the country’s blue economy.

125th founding anniversary

The Navy has come a long, long way. It marks its 125th anniversary on May 20, 2023, having started on May 20, 1898 when the Philippine flag was hoisted on one of our ships.

Ahead of the anniversary celebration, the Navy will be hosting and leading milestone events – the 17th ASEAN Navy Chiefs’ Meeting on May 9 to 11 and the 2nd ASEAN Multilateral Naval Exercise on May 9 to 16.

These twin events aim to promote the country’s self-reliant defense posture in cooperation with the navies of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Aside from this, the Navy, led by Rear Adm. Toribio Adaci Jr., also continues to modernize.

In 2021, the Department of National Defense signed a P28-billion contract with South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries for the acquisition of two brand-new corvettes which will arrive by 2025.

Corvettes are small, fast naval vessels capable of conducting anti-ship, anti-submarine and anti-air warfare missions.

The Navy will also have six patrol vessels by 2026 and a submarine.

Yet another boost for the Philippine Navy is that it would be able to build its own ships, particularly the small and hard-hitting fast-attack interdictor craft missile (FAIC-M). The 32-meter long FAIC-Ms are high-speed vessels equipped with quick intercept ability, remote stabilized weapons and short-range missiles.

This is because Israel Shipyards Ltd. has transferred to the Navy the keys to a newly-refurbished shipyard within the Naval Station Pascual Ledesma in Cavite, as part of an FAIC-M acquisition project. The Navy will acquire four FAIC-Ms from Israel while another four will be built in the shipyard by Filipino hands, said Rear Adm. Valencia.

Brave hearts

In the beginning, the Navy had just three torpedo boats and now, 125 years later, it has a fleet of around 80 combat vessels and has an estimated strength of 24,500 active service personnel. It continues to grow.

While the Navy has a long way to go before it becomes a fully modern naval warfare service that is at par with the world, Rear Adm. Valencia said there is a weapon unique to Filipino servicemen and it is the brave Filipino heart.

“We may lose but we will give them a bloody loss. The bravery of the Filipino soldier can never be questioned. Even if we are armed with spoons, we won’t surrender,” said Rear Adm. Valencia.

Hearing this made me proud too that the country’s guardians of the seas are among the bravest in the world.

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Email: [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @eyesgonzales. Column archives at EyesWideOpen on FB.