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Philippines weighs bigger coastguard role as funding cuts loom

The 2027 budget would shift spending away from patrol, intelligence and ship maintenance, even as the coastguard seeks more vessels, unmanned systems, stations and personnel.

Reported · Written up by our desk · Trade & Tariffs

The Philippines is preparing to expand the responsibilities of its coastguard in the contested South China Sea, but the agency is confronting a capacity gap around ships, aircraft and personnel, according to SCMP Economy.

SCMP Economy reports the plan comes as Philippine Coast Guard operations around waters the country claims become more demanding, while funding constraints threaten to limit how long the force can keep existing assets at sea.

That tension is reflected in the 2027 budget, where the coastguard has sought money for additional vessels, unmanned systems, stations and personnel, while key allocations for patrols, intelligence and ship maintenance face cuts.

The Philippine Coast Guard currently has a fleet of about 40 vessels, and its chief, Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan, said in June the agency planned to add more than 40 vessels over the following five years.

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