The expansion of Philippine naval basing will aid the country’s military modernization efforts, according to President Marcos Jr.
MANILA, PHILIPPINES—The Philippine Navy plans to activate new naval bases in Subic Bay and Mindanao to bolster sustainment and basing capabilities in support of its naval modernization efforts.
Last fall, a congressional hearing revealed the inadequacy of Naval Operating Base Subic in supporting the increasingly modern and larger vessels procured by Manila under the Revised Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program. The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, an economic body responsible for administering the area, told the Philippine Navy that it could transfer another facility in the bay that would be more suited for development.
Naval News learned from a tour of the base last September that personnel housing, ship berthing space, and other infrastructure was insufficient to support the Philippine Fleet. Base personnel were relying on civilian shipbuilding administrative facilities leftover from the Korean company that used to operate the former shipyard. None of the cranes at Quay 7, home to the largest ships of the fleet, were operational.
The search for a new facility dedicated to military infrastructure was launched as a result of these circumstances. President Marcos Jr. announced the establishment of a series of naval bases at the mouth of Subic Bay during the service’s 127th anniversary ceremony on Tuesday.
“More than just acquiring new equipment, this modernization is also about empowering the Philippine Navy with the necessary skills, knowledge, tools, and sustainment that would safeguard our nation’s interest,” said Marcos
Marcos claimed that ground would “soon” be broken for Naval Station Nabasan, referring to an existing wharf near the entrance of the bay and within the proximity of a planned military reservation at Grande Island. The wharf is180 meters long with an alongside depth of 14 meters according to the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority. Infographics from the regional economic body claim that the wharf is used as a maritime training facility. While Nabasan appears to be a downgrade compared to the large berthing spaces at Subic, the new location could permit the service to construct new facilities and proceed with long-delayed expansion plans.
Strategically positioned toward the South China Sea, Subic Bay has been home to colonial-era Spanish, American and Japanese naval bases. Today, Manila’s forces utilize the bay and permit international partners such as the U.S. and France to dock their larger vessels for port stops and repairs. The U.S. Navy has eyed the area for prepositioning Marine Corps equipment in the Philippines, and is looking to activate a large storage facility within 100 kilometers of Subic Bay by 2026.
Further developments were specified at Chiquita Island, also located close to Nabasan in Subic Bay, and Misamis Oriental in Mindanao. Marcos stated that the new southern Naval Support Base will allow the transition of forces in Cavite, which currently hosts an airfield for the service’s naval aviation and vessel repair facilities at the country’s oldest shipyard.
Aside from placing the service’s primary sustainment capabilities deep into the archipelago’s southern interior, the base would also be located to the increasingly significant Sulu Sea. Chinese warships have transited the maritime chokepoint in recent years to transit between the first and second island chains. Philippine forces in the area have reorganized into commands focused on territorial defense. Bilateral exercises with U.S. Marines designed around the defense of the Philippines have also started to take place near these waters.
Manila’s pursuit of defense infrastructure has taken shape across the country amid increasing tensions with Beijing in the South China Sea. The Philippines began a military modernization program in the early 2010s following an incident at Scarborough Shoal that revealed the inadequacy of its forces. However, due to the dated nature of its equipment, the Armed Forces of the Philippines had to both acquire new equipment and the modern infrastructure to support the modernization efforts.
