Филиппинская береговая охрана: история и развитие

Coast guard of the Philippines

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is the third armed uniformed service

The Philippine Coast Guard is the oldest and only humanitarian armed service in the Philippines. Its beginnings could be traced back to the early 20th century when coast guarding was related to the protection of the customs services of the country and in patrolling the coastlines and harbors. When the Americans came in 1898, one of the first steps that the military government undertook was the reopening of the port and customs facilities of Manila. Soon after, the civilian Insular Government, through the Philippine Commission, enacted a law on October 17, 1901, that created the Bureau of Coast Guard and Transportation, which was placed under the Department of Commerce and Police. The Captain of the Port was designated as Bureau Director. Recognition of the difficulty of administering such a vast island area without reliable government transportation resulted in the requirements to establish a transportation system for government services. The resulting report recommended purchase of 21 small steamers to establish 21 circuits supporting communication between provincial capitals and coastal towns as well as prevent smuggling and landing contraband. The average circuit would be . The vessels required should be all weather of about 42.67 m in length capable of with light armament. Two small stern paddle steamers were recommended for river use on the Cayagen River and the Rio Grande de Mindanao and connected lakes. The bureau concentrated its early days on the contracts for the fifteen vessels with the result ten were to be built by Farnham, Boyd & Company in Shanghai, China and five by Uraga Dock Company in Uraga, Japan. The ten Chinese contracted cutters were Balabac, Basilan, Busuanga, Corregidor, Luzon, Masbate, Negros, Palawan, Polillo, and Tablas. The five Uraga cutters were to be Marinduque and Romblon, which were delivered, and Bohol, Cebu, and Jolo which were cancelled after serious deficiencies were found on delivery of Marinduque and Romblon. The China built cutters began arriving in Manila by mid 1902 and were found to generally meet requirements. The Uraga built cutters, arriving in January and April 1903, had serious defects, to the extent the inspector in Japan was dismissed for negligence, and costly negotiations led to cancellation of the three others that were in process of completion. Five additional cutters were ordered from China, those being Leyte, Mindanao, Mindoro, Panay, and Samar.

The Coast Guard Aviation Force (CGAF), then known as Coast Guard Air Group was formally activated on May 18, 1998, during the incumbency of Commodore Manuel I de Leon PCG as Commandant, Philippine Coast Guard. Accordingly, Commander Noel O Monte PCG was designated as its first Commander holding office at the former PADC Hangar Nr. 3, Domestic Airport Complex, Pasay. On January 22, 1999, after eight months of existence, PCGAG acquired its first aircraft, a BN Islander from the Philippine National Oil Company – Energy Development Corporation (PNOC – EDC). After six months of intensive inspection and rehabilitation, it was commissioned into Coast Guard service on June 26, 1999, as PCG–251. In June 1999, the first helicopter, a MBB BO 105CB was acquired from PADC and commissioned with the tail number PCG–1636. Another aircraft, a Cessna 421B "Golden Eagle" was acquired without cost from the Bureau of Soils and Water Management sometime in the early part of 2000. However, due to budgetary constraints, the aircraft rehabilitation is not yet completed to date. In the same year, another BN Islander with the tail number PCG–684 was acquired. It was commissioned and activated in June 2002 after it underwent rehabilitation. On March 30, 2001, the helm of the CGAG was transferred to Captain Lino H Dabi PCG. In search of a bigger home for its growing inventory, on November 21, 2002, with the support of Pantaleon Alvarez, the Secretary of Transportation and Communications, the Manila International Airport Authority allowed CGAG to occupy its present location. Extensive renovation work was undertaken to make the hangar suitable as the nerve center of all Coast Guard Air Operations. On March 28, 2003, the CGAG acquired another BO – 105C helicopter from PADC and was commissioned into the service as PCG – 163 during the Group's 5th Founding Anniversary. With the intense need to have the capability to extract survivors from water, the said helicopter was fitted with a rescue hoist through the courtesy of the Japan International Cooperation Agency. Another significant milestone unfolded in the history of the group when PCG leadership was turned over to Vice Admiral Arthur Gosingan PCG. Through the endorsement of the CGOF Commander, Rear Admiral Damian Carlos PCG in recognizing the importance of the air unit in coast guard operations and their outstanding accomplishments granted the aviators their most aspired yearning of their careers by approving the group's position paper on the Command Pilot Rating. This enabled aviators to have an equal opportunity with officers that acquired a Command at a Sea Badge to assume positions of higher responsibilities in the Coast Guard hierarchy.

The Philippine Coast Guard's Special Operations Force (CGSOF) is the special forces unit of the Philippine Coast Guard, founded in 1972. The CGSOF performs underwater operations, domestic counter terrorism and other law enforcement operations. Some of their notable deployments and accomplishments include the operations to the Laoag International Airlines Flight 585 crash at Manila Bay, the aftermath of the 2004 SuperFerry 14 bombing, the Search and Recovery operations to the ill fated M/V Princess of the Stars incident, and the Battle of Marawi.

The Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary (PCGA) is the civilian support group of the Philippine Coast Guard. Although a volunteer, civilian organization, the PCGA uses a military structure for organizational purposes. Like other volunteer sea rescue organizations around the world, it performs non military and non police activities in support of its national navy or coast guard. This endeavor includes search and rescue, environmental protection, disaster relief, community service, and marine safety. The ranks of the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary follow those of the Philippine Coast Guard. Operation Brotherhood Montessori Center has a few officers that serve as Leadership Training teachers and CAT teachers from this Coast Guard branch.

Like the Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC)'s Officer Candidate Schools (OCS) of Philippine Army, Philippine Navy and Philippine Air Force, the Philippine Coast Guard also has Philippine Coast Guard Officers' Basic Education and Training Center (PCGOBETC) that serves as officer candidate school of PCG officer aspirants. Officer Candidates taking the Coast Guard Officers' Course (CGOC) become Probationary Ensigns (P/ENS) and after graduation, they will be commissioned as regular officers in the organization.

PictureClassOriginTypeVesselsNotesPatrol Vessels Teresa Magbanua class Multi role response vessel BRP Teresa Magbanua BRP Melchora Aquino Two 97 meter vessels built by Mitsubishi Shipbuilding. Gabriela Silang class Offshore patrol vessel BRP Gabriela Silang One 83 meter OPV equipped with helipad built by OCEA of France. San Juan class Search and rescue vessel BRP San Juan BRP EDSA IIBRP Pampanga BRP Batangas Four 56 meter vessels equipped with helipad and built by Tenix. Parola class Multi role response vessel BRP TubbatahaBRP Malabrigo BRP Malapascua BRP Capones BRP Suluan BRP Sindangan BRP Cape San Agustin BRP Cabra BRP Bagacay BRP Cape Engaño Ten 44 meter vessels built by Japan Marine United Ilocos Norte class Search and rescue vessel BRP Ilocos NorteBRP Nueva VizcayaBRP RomblonBRP Davao del Norte Four 35 meter vessels built by Tenix. Patrol boats / Patrol crafts Boracay class Fast patrol boat BRP BoracayBRP KalanggamanBRP PanglaoBRP Malamawi Four 24 meter patrol boats built by OCEA of France. Swift Mk.1 classPatrol craftDF 300, DF 301, DF 302, DF 303Swift Mk.2 classPatrol craftDF 305, DF 307, DF 308, DF 309, DF 310, DF 311, DF 312, DF 313, DF 314, DF 315, DF 316Swift Mk.3 classPatrol craftDF 325, DF 326, DF 327, DF 328, DF 329, DF 330, DF 331, DF 332, DF 334, DF 347De Havilland 9209 classPatrol craftDF 318Coast Guard Cutter typepatrol craftCGC 30, CGC 32, CGC 103, CGC 110, CGC 115, CGC 128, CGC 129, CGC 130, CGC 132, CGC 133, CGC 134, CGC 135, CGC 136Transferred from the US Navy. Used for harbor police work. One was stricken in 1994, CGCs 30, 32 and 128 currently non operational. Support vesselsCorregidor classBuoy tenderBRP Corregidor (AE 891)Built by Niigata Engineering in Japan through a soft loan. Commissioned on February 3, 1998, and is currently in active service. Balsam class Buoy tender BRP Kalinga (AE 89) Ex USCG Balsam class navigational aid tender, USCGC Redbud (WLB 398) built by Marine Iron and SB Corp. Refitted in Cavite Naval Yard in November 1995. Equipped with a helicopter platform and an ice breaking bow. 15 meter Patrol Speed Boat11 Patrol Speed Boat provided by Japan. 12 15 meter Seacraft High Speed Response Boat3 (+37)40 Seacraft High Speed Response Boat ordered from Dynacast Shipbuilding Dynamic Power Joint Venture. The first 3 units were delivered in October 2023. 10 meter Response Boat – Small 4 Acquired via US FMS Program. Additional units scheduled for delivery. Aluminum V shaped hull boat 320 Used in search and rescue and disaster response. 300 ordered in an earlier contract, another 20 units delivered by Pacificfortia Marine Technologies in October 2018. From multiple suppliers Rigid hulled inflatable boat 93 Used in search and rescue and disaster response. 81 units ordered earlier, another 12 units made by Trenton USA delivered in October 2018. From multiple suppliers Rubber boat 50 Used in search and rescue and disaster response

The project involves the acquisition of two heavy weather, high endurance 94 meter Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs), to provide the PCG with vessels with a cruising range capability of 4,000 nautical miles, can be used in Sea State 6 (wave height of up to 6 meters) in rough sea condition, and are capable to conduct continuous maritime patrol up to 15 days at 15 knots. Each vessel, as claimed by PCG, will enable them to recover as much as 500 passengers in the event of a maritime disaster, as well as provide the country with wider maritime coverage for strategic and national security purposes. Given these upgraded vessel capacities, the project now costs PhP8 billion and with the NEDA Board approval, are expected to be delivered by 2022.

The NEDA Board approved Phase 3 of the Maritime Safety Capability Improvement Project for the Philippine Coast Guard. This project involves the design, construction, and delivery of five units of multi role response vessels or MRRVs, each with a length of 97 meters. This project comes after the agency expressed its desire to gain such number of units in January 2023. It also includes a five year integrated logistics support. This will further improve the Philippine Coast Guard’s capability to respond to threats and incidents within the country’s maritime jurisdiction. In particular, the project will enable the Coast Guard to secure important sea lines of communication in the West Philippine Sea, Sulu Celebes Seas, and the Philippine Sea. It will also help the PCG combat illegal activities and enforce maritime laws in the Philippine waters. The total project cost is PHP 29.3 billion, which will be financed through an Official Development Assistance or ODA loan from the Government of Japan.

The project aims to strengthen the Philippine Coast Guard's capability to promote safety of life, protect the marine environment and enforce maritime laws through procurement of four brand new 24 meter OCEA FPV 72MKII patrol boats, 20 fast patrol boats, and one 82 meter 270 MKII offshore patrol vessel. The budget from this project came from the loan balance of a French loan that financed the cancelled Greater Maritime Access Ports Project of the Arroyo administration.

The project involves the procurement of seven Maritime Disaster Response (MDR) helicopters for the Philippine Coast Guard to strengthen and expand their MDR capabilities during maritime incidents and natural disasters and calamities. The project will also involve the training of pilots and technical crew, procurement of mission equipment, procurement of maintenance tools and spare parts for five years, and the construction of hangars for the helicopters and offices for the pilots and technical crew. It was supposed to be funded by the Credit Agricole of Germany. In addition to the recently acquired Airbus H145 helicopters, plans were also laid out to acquire 2 units of AgustaWestland AW139 for SAR operations.

The project involves the procurement of one fixed wing aircraft in order to increase the Coast Guard's aerial responsibilities, such as maritime patrol, search and rescue (SAR), and utility operations. Due to a limited budget, the coast guard has planned to acquire 1 or 2 units of the Cessna 208B Grand Caravan EX, with plans laid out to acquire additional units in the coming years as the aircraft is expected to replace the ageing Britten Norman BN 2 Islander.