The Philippine Navy (PN) has allocated PHP 218 million for the procurement of 1,900 rounds of 76mm caliber 62 high explosive detonating point (HEPD) ammunition, intended for arming the main guns of its modern warships.
According to a bid bulletin posted on the PN website, the total budget for this project is PHP 218,842,103.30. The winning bidder is required to deliver the ammunition within 400 calendar days upon receipt of the Notice to Proceed. Funding for this acquisition is sourced from the General Appropriations Act 2025 under the PN Appropriation Funds or Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE).
The submission and opening of bid envelopes are scheduled for 9 a.m. on August 7 at the PN Bids and Awards Committee in Naval Station Jose Francisco, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City. The bid opening will be conducted via a blended format, allowing bidders to attend either in person or through video teleconference (VTC) via the Zoom application. The PN has stated that any bids exceeding the approved budget for the contract will be automatically rejected at the bid opening. A pre-bid conference for the project was held on July 24.
The 76mm gun is the primary main gun system for all major PN warships, including the Jacinto-class patrol ships, Gregorio del Pilar offshore vessels, Conrado Yap-class corvette, Jose Rizal-guided missile frigates, and the Miguel Malvar class-frigates, which are still being delivered. This weapon system is known for its high rate of firepower and versatility, as it can be equipped with a variety of specialized ammunition, making it compact enough for installation on smaller warships.
In addition, the PN is allocating PHP 441.18 million for the acquisition of 16,000 rounds of 35mm high explosive incendiary with tracer (HEI-T) ammunition. The details for this project are similar to those of the 76mm HEPD rounds, with the 35mm autocannon serving as one of the secondary gun systems of the PN.