Japan and the Philippines agreed to further enhance maritime drills between its coast guards through common agreement and understanding, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Commandant said following the visit of Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba at the PCG headquarters on Wednesday.

PCG Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan told reporters in a chance interview that the visit of Ishiba is an "affirmation" of Japan's support to PCG.

"The visit of the Prime Minister is more of an affirmation of their support to us. Without saying a word, their message is clear, that he is really supporting the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Filipino people", Gavan said

"We will further elevate the level of training that we have. We will be doing more exercises, maybe, it is still being discussed. Nothing is concrete yet ... but there is common agreement (and) common understanding that we will find ways to even enhance the exercises", he added.

Ishiba and officials from Japan were welcomed by PCG headed by Commandant, Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan and officials from the Philippines in an arrival ceremony.

Following the arrival ceremony, Gavan and Ishiba then had a ship tour onboard the 97-meter multi role response vessel (MRRV) BRP Teresa Magbanua, one of PCG's two largest vessels acquired from Japan in 2022.

A demonstration of arresting techniques and procedures learned by PCG from their Japanese counterpart was also witnessed by the officials after the tour.

Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon said the procurement of the five more 97 meter ships funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) through the Official Development Assistance (ODA) grant amounting to 68.38 billion yen will be fast tracked.

Dizon added that they are set to sign a contract with Japanese ship builders within 2025.

"Beginning of the third quarter of 2025, we will have the contract already with the Japanese ship builder. This is the commitment of the Philippine Government upon the instruction of the President himself to fast track the processing of the procurement of the additional five MRRVs (multi role response vessels)", Dizon said.

Gavan said that the five 97-meter vessels are expected to be delivered within "two to three years from first delivery".

Also present at the ceremony were Japan Coast Guard (JCG) Commandant Admiral Seguchi Yoshio, Ambassador of Japan to the Philippines Kazuya Endo, JICA Philippines Chief Representative Takashi Baba, DOTr Secretary Vince Dizon, and other officials from the Philippines and Japan. Marie Manalili/DMS