The Philippine Navy assured that its preparation to receive new and additional platforms "is in place" as it welcomes the potential transfer of Abukuma-class destroyer and the TC-90 aircraft that was announced by Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi after the defense ministerial meeting last week.

In a press conference in Camp Aguinaldo on Tuesday, Captain Marissa Martinez, Philippine Navy spokesperson, said that the recent "developments" on the potential transfer of assets from Japan "are highly significant to the Navy''.

"It will support our vision, the Navy's vision, which is to become a modern and multi-domain and self-reliant naval force, which is a reliant partner in the region," she said."I would like to make mention that under the Sail plan Vision 2040, we have a strategy that also includes our archipelagic defense, advanced archipelagic defense strategy, and that is the development of our bases and facilities to include the upgrade of our maintenance, our ship repair and maintenance facilities down at Cavite City. So everything is in place. we have initiatives and plans for it," she added.In a previous interview,

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. noted the need for the Philippine Navy "to fast-track their construction of adequate berthing and port facilities, and to have the additional maintenance and sustainment capacity to make sure" that the defense equipment "does not become an oyster bed in the future."

"Your Philippine Navy would be prepared to receive all these modernization projects or modern platforms that will support and help in our role or in our mandate to protect our sovereignty, sovereign rights and national interest," said Martinez.

She also added that one of their naval bases in Cebu is now capable of accommodating its frigate and BRP Tarlac, a landing platform dock which is one of the largest ships of the Philippine Navy.

"It just shows how prepared for the initiatives the Navy is undertaking right now in order to accommodate future platforms, surface platforms," the Philippine Navy spokesperson said.

Martinez added that at the headquarters of the Philippine Navy in Manila, the dredging activities are also being conducted, "so that ships with deeper drops could already dock there".

"These are all placed or planned, and it is reflected in our Philippine Navy Sail Plan 2040," she said.Teodoro said the details of the potential transfer of platforms from Japan is being finalized by the working groups from both countries. Robina Asido/PHS