Photo courtesy of Presidential Communications Office.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the government would continue strengthening the Philippine Navy as the country moved to defend its waters and protect its interests in the West Philippine Sea.
Speaking during the Navy’s 128th anniversary celebration, Marcos said maritime defense had become more crucial as the Philippines faced growing security challenges in surrounding waters.
He said improving the Navy’s capability remained necessary to safeguard the country’s sovereignty, natural resources, economic routes, and role in regional stability.
Marcos also led the commissioning of the BRP Rajah Lakandula, the Navy’s newest offshore patrol vessel, at Naval Station Jose Andrada in Manila.
The President said the vessel, named after a leader of precolonial Manila, symbolized courage, leadership, and service to the country, and should remind others that Filipinos would not be intimidated.
He said the new patrol vessel marked an important step in the Navy’s push to become a modern and self-reliant force capable of protecting Philippine waters and asserting sovereignty.
Marcos said the Indo-Pacific had become a major center of political and economic competition, with nearby seas increasingly becoming areas of tension, conflict, and strategic rivalry.
Under the 2026 budget, the government set aside Php 90 billion for the Revised Armed Forces modernization program, with the Navy receiving the largest share at about Php 36 billion to Php 40 billion for ships, combat systems, sensors, base upgrades, and groundwork for its long-term modernization plans.
