President Rodrigo Roa Duterte led the commissioning Sunday of the Barko ng Pangulo ng Pilipinas (BRP) Melchora Aquino of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), which is expected to improve its capability to monitor the country’s costlines.

During the commisioning in South Harbor in Manila, President Duterte expressed his gratitude to the Department of Transportation (DOTr) for a job well done.

“The Coast Guard has an excellent record and participation even sa struggle sa Mindanao. You have helped government a lot maintaining its independence and integrity as a republic. So bilib ako sa inyo,” he said.

“And I said at no other time na ang Coast Guard binigyan ng importansiya. At I can only thank my classmate, Arthur Tugade, for husbanding the entire agency sa Coast Guard.”

The President read the commission order before the MRRV 9702 commanding officer and granted the official permission, commencing BRP Melchora Aquino’s official duty as a commissioned vessel.

Named after Filipino revolutionary Melchora Aquino, who was considered the Mother of Katipunan, the MRRV 9702 is one of the two largest white ships acquired by the DOTr for the PCG through its Maritime Safety Capability Improvement Project (MSCIP) Phase 2.

The newly commissioned vessel will conduct sustained maritime patrols in the country’s maritime jurisdictions, including the West Philippine Sea and Philippine Rise.

The BRP Melchora Aquino is modeled after the Japan Coast Guard’s Kunigami-class vessel that has a maximum speed of not less than 24 nautical miles per hour and endurance of not less than 4,000 nautical miles.

It is similar with BRP Teresa Magbanua (MRRV 9701), another vessel acquired by the government. PND