PH shipbuilder supports push for self-reliance in naval, coastal defense capabilities
Local shipbuilder Propmech Corporation underscored the importance of the Philippines becoming more self-reliant in its naval and coastal defense requirements and capabilities.
Glenn Paul Tong, president and CEO of Propmech, believes the country has the potential to be a great shipbuilding and maritime nation.
“I believe that every country should have a baseline capability. It doesn’t make sense for us to acquire first class vessels from other countries only for us to require sending these out of the country to do maintenance,” Tong told reporters as he gave a tour of the company shipyard in Subic, Zambales on Thursday.
“The Philippines is a maritime nation. We have the ability and the skillset to maintain, produce and support our own vessels. Given the opportunity, companies such as ourselves… and other industry experts can work together in the marine blue economy,” he added.
Tong noted it is a big advantage for the Philippines to be able to maintain its own shipping facilities and equipment for employment, trade, disaster, emergency, and security purposes.
“In the shipbuilding and maritime industry, most of our people go out of the country to take advantage of this, and it saddens me because it creates a brain drain, a loss in talent. One of the things that’s difficult for us is that even our skilled labor is also offered and tempted. I think in the short term it’s nice to get remittances, but in the long term, creating an industry that would create jobs and high value products is something the Philippines could go for. It’s more important than the short term,” he explained.
“I’m hopeful that the country could prove itself that it is a viable hub for marine solutions, maintenance, vessel repairs, and even vessel building,” he added.
Tong said the government has taken a lot of steps to push for self-reliance, but added that a lot still needs to happen. He also stressed the importance of supporting the local shipbuilding and maritime industry.
“I think the government is already doing a lot. But I think we should look into the long term. Most of the time, we are looking into the immediate needs. I think shipbuilding in the Philippines is something you can do well, not only for ourselves, but for export in the future,” Tong said. “We don’t need a lot of subsidies. What we need is an equal playing field.”
Propmech, a family business run by Tong with over 900 employees, started off as a distributor of marine engines in 1991 before it expanded to boat building and maintenance, and vessel refurbishing.
It has so far built and delivered over 1,000 vessels to the Philippine Navy, the Philippine National Police, and the Philippine Coast Guard, as well as the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. Some of these vessels include the landing utility craft (LUC), high speed attack craft, and aluminum patrol boats.
One of the company’s signature vessels is the Philippine Navy’s multi-purpose attack craft (MPAC). The shipbuilder has constructed and supplied 12 of the Navy’s MPACs from 2009 to 2019, which have evolved into four versions: Mark I, Mark II, Mark III and Mark IV.
Each class consists of three MPACs, with every succeeding Mark bigger, faster and more advanced than its predecessor.
“The MPAC was the first new design vessel for the Philippine military in over 30 years. It was a testament to us being able to build a vessel that no other country was interested in building. We were able to build the vessel and the capabilities beyond the price at the time,” Tong said.
“Having these vessels has changed the way the Navy has responded… with the speed and ballistic protection. Now, new capabilities and weapons. You can see that the ability of the Navy was heavily impacted by the addition of the MPAC.”
He added, “It is something we are continuing to improve. Every iteration of the MPAC has evolved to meet the changing needs over the years. Each vessel has changed. It has gone longer, faster. Every batch has suited the needs of the Navy at the time. As we go forward, we have new designs, new options. It shows that the Philippine design vessel can perform at par or even superior to options from abroad.”
The MPAC has proven to be a reliable and versatile vessel in various applications, including the Navy’s counterterrorism and territorial defense efforts, Tong added.
EXTENSION OF LIFE
On Thursday, Propmech announced the successful completion of the comprehensive maintenance and refurbishment work on the MPAC at its facility in Subic.
Tong said this batch of the MPAC Mark IIIs was commissioned by the Navy in 2016, and was “returned” late last year to undergo “an extension of life.”
“In this specific batch, they wanted to bring all the equipment back to new. Everything we worked on, we were able to bring back to new. Almost new levels. Back to its original performance—from the propulsions, gensets, the hull,” Tong explained. “It is more of a return to original form, an extension of life.”
Tong also said the company is in discussion with government agencies for the building of more vessels.
“We are talking with the DND and the Navy and the PCG and other entities to provide some equipment. It’s under negotiations. There are discussions ongoing,” he said.
Aside from building vessels for the Philippines, Propmech is also exporting vessels to other countries.
“Several have expressed interest in the MPAC… from several countries. It’s just our willingness to work with them and share the technology because not everything we are offering to the Philippine Navy we’re willing to offer to just any other country,” Tong said.
He went on, “We have exported other vessels, but not MPACs. We have supplied ferry boats and other commercial vessels abroad.”
Tong said their company is willing to work and collaborate with other local groups and experts to further advance the Philippines’ maritime industry.
“Absolutely! We want to work with Philippine companies and make something happen. If given the opportunity and if the projects are there, I don’t see why we should not collaborate,” he said.