Rappler's latest stories on maritime security
PH Navy christens first-ever brand new frigate, BRP Jose Rizal
Navy chief Vice Admiral Giovanni Carlo Bacordo hails the new warship as 'the great milestone and accomplishment of the defense sector in decades'
PH Coast Guard to block departure of Hong Kong ship crew in Liberty 5 case
In a tearful meeting with the families of the 14 missing crew and passengers of the ill-fated fishing vessel, the Philippine Coast Guard urged them to pray for justice and a miracle – that the victims be found alive
PH Coast Guard files criminal cases vs HK ship crew
(UPDATED) The company and officers of bulk carrier Vienna Wood are formally accused of reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide and damage to property, as the 14 crew of fishing boat Liberty 5 remain missing
PCG extends search for missing Filipino fishermen
The Philippine Coast Guard says search and retrieval operations for the 14 crew members of Liberty 5 will be until Tuesday, July 7
PH Coast Guard 'building evidence' vs Hong Kong ship crew
Without any trace of the 14 Filipino crew of Liberty 5, the search for survivors becomes a search for bodies, but Philippine Coast Guard chief George Ursabia Jr says he is still hoping for a miracle
No trace of 14 fishing boat crew 5 days since collision with HK ship
(UPDATED) Chances of finding survivors get slimmer by the minute, says the Philippine Coast Guard
Locsin: Don't politicize PH boat collision with HK ship
'It happened in Mindoro waters and I don’t want to make those Mindoro waters into international waters just to please a few idiots back here,' says Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr
China 'shocked' by PH boat collision, opposes 'politicization' of incident
'Our thoughts and prayers go out to the missing crew members and passengers. We sincerely hope all of them could be rescued at the earliest,' says the China embassy in the Philippines
Hong Kong ship did not try to rescue 14 Filipino boat crew after collision – PCG
(UPDATED) The bulk carrier, however, stayed in the vicinity of the incident, which Philippine Coast Guard commandant Vice Admiral George Ursabia Jr says was likely an accident
'Banggaan lang': Palace doubts PH boat collision with HK ship to hurt China ties
(UPDATED) 'Wala naman pong malaking implikasyon 'yan. Banggaan lang po 'yan,' says Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque
PCG search on for missing fishermen who collided with Hong Kong-flagged ship
(4th UPDATE) The Philippine Coast Guard identifies the cargo vessel as Hong Kong-registered MV Vienna Wood, as it searches for the 14 missing crew of fishing boat Liberty 5 off Mindoro
14 Filipinos missing after fishing boat collides with Chinese ship off Mindoro
(UPDATED) There are 14 Filipino crew missing after fishing boat Liberty Cinco collides with a Hong Kong-flagged cargo ship off Occidental Mindoro
Lorenzana: China’s planned air defense zone in West PH Sea breaks rules
'It is my fervent hope that China would not proceed with this planned action for the continued peace and stability in the entire South China Sea,' says Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana
2 U.S. carrier strike groups hold drills in PH Sea amid China airspace control fears
The Western Pacific's traditional power showcases its naval might as China plans to establish an air defense identification zone over the South China Sea
vWATCH: Upgrades on Pag-asa Island continue as Chinese militias prowl its waters
The government inaugurates a new beaching ramp at the Philippines' main outpost in the West Philippine Sea, which is still hounded by the presence of Chinese paramilitary ships
‘Let’s not hurt China’s feelings’: Why Duterte hasn’t visited Pag-asa Island
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana explains the President’s reason for calling off planned visits to the country’s main outpost in the West Philippine Sea
Experts warn of China-backed candidates in 2022 PH elections
There may be several 'Manchurian candidates' in the presidential race in 2022 as China tries to tighten its grip on the Philippines, say military and diplomatic experts
Welcome to China, Vietnam: Roaming texts greet officials arriving on Pag-asa Island
Pag-asa Island lies in an area of the West Philippine Sea where signals from other claimant countries overlap, and the strongest ones win out
More plans to upgrade Pag-asa Island as Lorenzana unveils beaching ramp
The ramp allows for the delivery of large equipment and supplies in the West Philippine Sea. A new sheltered harbor will also be inaugurated on Friday, June 12.
Former coast guard chief Garcia to lead National Coast Watch Council Secretariat
Retired Admiral Joel Garcia returns to the National Coast Watch System, which he helped lead before taking over the Philippine Coast Guard in October 2019
Del Rosario: PH can seize China's assets as payment for West PH Sea damage
Assets that can be seized include China's stakes in the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines and the 3rd telco, says former foreign affairs chief Albert del Rosario
LOOK: New harbor on Pag-asa Island
The harbor, along with other new structures on the island, will make both civilian and military visits easier – a small but significant step forward in establishing Filipino presence in the West Philippine Sea
First time: PH Navy ship docks at Pag-asa Island
A new port and beaching ramp near completion on the country's largest outpost in the West Philippine Sea
PH, Japan to boost cooperation on security, maintaining rule of law in region
The two countries, both with territorial disputes with China, 'agreed to deepen bilateral cooperation in wide areas including security and enforcement of the laws of the seas,' says Japan Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu
LOOK: Indian Navy ships on friendly visit to Manila
The Indian Navy sends its warships on a goodwill visit to the Philippines just days after the two countries signed a maritime security cooperation agreement
PH, India sign maritime security deal during Kovind visit
As President Rodrigo Duterte hosts Indian leader Ram Nath Kovind, the Philippine Coast Guard and Indian Navy sign a memorandum of understanding on sharing information about the movement of non-military commercial vessels
WATCH: PH Navy debuts new amphibious vehicles, attack vessels
The Navy's brand new amphibious assault vehicles (AAV) and multipurpose attack craft (MPAC) boosts its capability to defend the Philippines' maritime domain
[ANALYSIS] Why Coast Guard Base Sibutu matters
This 4.3-hectare base will be equipped with a marine radar, an automatic identification system receiver, and a Coast Watch monitoring system
1st ASEAN-U.S. Maritime Exercise underway in Thailand
The drills are aimed at strengthening alliances among the US and Southeast Asian navies for 'an unparalleled advantage that no competitor or rival can match,' says a US Navy officer
Philippines-Indonesia maritime boundary treaty now in force
The agreement enters into force 25 years after the Philippines and Indonesia first discussed it in June 1994
Carpio: PH must compel foreign ships to keep trackers on when passing through
This is in response to Chinese warships crossing Tawi-Tawi waters undetected
Coast Guard gets new high-speed boats, trucks to boost capabilities
Other new assets include rubber boats and fully equipped ambulances useful in disaster response and rescue operations
Coast Guard will still stop Chinese boats fishing in PH waters – Esperon
The National Security Adviser, however, emphasizes that the Philippines does not have enough resources to fully protect its sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea
[OPINION] Projecting military power: Japan’s carrier fleet reborn
Japan, together with the US, has an overwhelming superiority that is sure to keep Beijing in check...and which belies Rodrigo Duterte’s claims that China is more powerful than those arrayed against it
Coast Guard gets modern patrol ship from France
The new vessel is the largest and most modern in the PCG fleet and will be used to patrol the West Philippine Sea and Benham Rise as well as to guard against piracy and terrorism
Rappler Talk: Ex-Coast Guard chief Carlos Agustin on West PH Sea
Former Philippine Coast Guard commandant Carlos Agustin talks about the Recto Bank incident and the situation in the West Philippine Sea
[OPINION] A facade of smiles over the Recto Bank incident
From within the government's ranks, all is definitely not well with President Duterte’s pro-Beijing policy
How were maritime collisions dealt with before?
As the Philippines works on resolving the issue of China and the sunken Gem-Ver, here's how we and other countries ironed things out in the past
[ANALYSIS] China’s new Great Wall
China has not stopped building imaginary walls to protect its maritime Silk Road, and the Philippines will soon be a part of the defense line
[ANALYSIS] Increasing maritime domain awareness: The P3C Orion option
The Philippines must think twice before agreeing to the transfer of a P3C Orion platform only, because the government would end up spending more to refurbish an old plane
[OPINION] Predeparture inspection of domestic vessels should no longer be PCG’s task
It is no longer practiced in other parts of the world, and it allows shipowners not to share the blame when sea mishaps happen
Senate approves Philippines-Indonesia maritime boundary treaty
Under the treaty, there will be a clear boundary between the two nations, helping Filipino and Indonesian fishermen to operate peacefully and properly
[ANALYSIS] The need for a credible Navy
As long as it has an inferior coast guard and ill-equipped naval forces, the Philippines will not gain the respect of its neighbors and will always hesitate to challenge foreign intruders into its territorial waters
[ANALYSIS] Balikatan: U.S. shifts gears from counterterrorism to great power competition
Balikatan may yet emerge as the template for multilateral exercises among US and its close allies in the entire Indo-Pacific region
[ANALYSIS] America, China and the real star wars
Pentagon’s Defense Intelligence Agency report in January is an eye-opener and shows what China is capable of doing in the South China Sea
Ousted PH Navy chief wanted 'proven technology' for warships
On January 4, 2017, then Philippine Navy chief vice admiral Ronald Mercado wrote Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana to reject plans to install the Combat Management System of Hanwha Systems in Philippine warships. A week later, Lorenzana is handed a Hanwha white paper in Malacañang.
Noises detected in Argentine sub search disappoint
A total of 14 vessels and 10 aircraft are helping search for the submarine, missing since November 15
Rescuers battle waves, wind in hunt for missing Argentine sub
An air and sea search is under way with help from countries including Brazil, Britain, Chile, the United States and Uruguay
Coast Guard outpost eyed off Cagayan to secure Philippine Rise
The proposed project will be the Philippine Coast Guard's main outpost for monitoring activities at Philippine Rise, which extends from Santa Ana town in Cagayan up to Aurora province
PH, U.S. navies complete patrol in Sulu Sea
The joint patrol is upon the invitation of the Philippine government and comes amid the clashes between government troops and local terrorists in Marawi City
