The government is ramping up efforts to modernize its maritime security forces, with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) opening bidding for the acquisition of 40 fast patrol crafts (FPCs) worth P25.75 billion for the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).
The procurement, approved by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as chair of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board, represents the largest single purchase under the PCG’s modernization program. Funded through official development assistance (ODA) from France, the project is a key step in boosting the country’s maritime defense and law enforcement capabilities.
PCG Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan emphasized the strategic value of the acquisition, saying the addition of the 35-meter vessels will effectively quadruple the PCG’s current fleet and make it the “youngest fleet in Southeast Asia.”
The craft will be vital in operations against maritime crimes such as smuggling, piracy, and illegal fishing, while also enhancing search and rescue, surveillance, and West Philippine Sea patrol efforts.
According to the DOTr, 20 of the patrol vessels will be assembled in France, with the remaining 20 to be built locally, bolstering both operational capacity and domestic shipbuilding.
The bidding will follow open competitive procedures with non-discriminatory “pass/fail” criteria. Interested bidders must have completed similar projects within the past six years. Bidding documents, priced at P75,000, will be available from 15 April to 5 May 2025.
The DOTr retains the right to reject bids or declare a failure of bidding without liability, in line with provisions of the 2016 Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act No. 9184.
