By Prashanth Parameswaran
State Department awards contract to firm to provide Manila with the boats.
The Philippines will receive four new patrol vessels from a U.S. company in November 2015, the firm announced September 3.
According Willard Marine Inc., the U.S. State Department had awarded it a contract to provide the Philippine National Police Maritime Group with patrol vessels equipped for search and rescue operations along the country’s maritime borders.
The move is consistent with efforts by the United States to build the capacity of its allies and partners in the Asia-Pacific such as the Philippines to tackle maritime security challenges. In addition to such assistance, Washington and Manila also inked an Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement in 2014 that, if approved by the Philippine legislature, would grant access to US troops, planes and ships in the country on a rotational basis.
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