00:00Supported by a local shipbuilding company, the government's target is to strengthen the country's capability in defense.
00:08They believe in their ability to acquire sea vehicles that can be compared to foreign-made ones.
00:15Here is the report.
00:19A local shipbuilding company asked its members of the media to inspect their facility in Subic, Zambales
00:27that produces tactical watercraft and aluminum fast patrol boats of the Philippine Coast Guard, PNP Maritime Group, and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources,
00:38as well as the multi-purpose attack craft or MPAC of the Philippine Navy, which has 12 units.
00:45It serves as an assault boat of the Navy and has been successful in several counter-terrorism operations,
00:51such as in 2020, where an MPAC unit hit a speedboat of the Abu Sayyaf.
00:59Another MPAC model is the Mark III, which was first used in 2017.
01:04It has a length of 17 meters, a maximum speed of 45 knots, and is armed with missiles and machine guns.
01:11Three of these sank during refurbishment last year.
01:15The so-called refurbished MPAC units in the Philippine Navy were able to turn over.
01:20After the completion of the life extension project for these units,
01:24the local shipbuilding company supported the government's desire to have a stronger self-reliant defense posture.
01:35It is also in front of the country's targets in the territory, including the West Philippine Sea.
01:41They have a big thing here if the Philippines will do the ships and other assets.
01:47The government will also save more here.
01:50It doesn't make sense for us to acquire first-class vessels from other countries,
01:55only for us to require sending these out of the country to do maintenance.
02:01In the Philippines, we are a maritime nation,
02:04and we have the ability and the skill set to actually maintain, produce, and support our own vessels.
02:14This will require trust and support from the Philippines.
02:20A Philippine-designed vessel can perform on par or even superior to options that come from abroad.
02:29But it is something that we're also very proud of and something that we know is sustainable in the country.
02:34Patrick de Souza
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