The Philippine Navy is set to open a series of naval bases as it bolsters its modernisation efforts, with one of the facilities near a former American military stronghold raising the potential of further sites added to those under an existing deal allowing US forces to train on Philippine soil.
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Observers also note that the plan showcases Manila’s willingness to expand the defence reach of its navy amid increasingly volatile territorial rows in the South China Sea, as well as reduce reliance on South Korean shipbuilders by developing local shipyards.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr confirmed at the Navy’s 127th anniversary ceremony on Tuesday that his government was “investing in responsive and up-to-date assets and systems to ensure that our navy remains a formidable force in the region”.
The move is seen as part of the Philippine Armed Forces’ modernisation programme. It is currently in its Horizon 3 phase, which started last year and will last for another 10 years.
Marcos said they would soon be breaking ground at Naval Station Nabasan, an existing wharf located near the mouth of Subic Bay.
The navy is also expanding its footprint to the nearby Grande and Chiquita Islands. Both are part of Subic Bay, a 670 sq km (260 sq miles) area which was a former US naval base until the Philippines rejected its lease extension in 1991.