USCG Marlin and USCGS Bluefin, which will be used by the Philippine Coast Guard for search and rescue and marine domain awareness capabilities, will arrive by October. Official handout.
Manuel Mogato | August 24, 2026
MANILA — The Philippine Coast Guard has announced a donation of two Marine Protector-class Coast Guard vessels from the United States, expanding its search and rescue (SAR) and marine domain awareness capabilities.
The two 27-meter vessels — USCG Marlin and USCGS Bluefin — are expected to arrive in Manila from Florida by October, according to Coast Guard spokesperson Commodore Noemie Cayabyab.
She said the two vessels will be renamed as BRP Pag-asa (PATS-2701) and BRP Patag (PATS-2702), after it took at least three years to process the vessels’ transfer.
“BRP Pag-asa (PATS-2701) and BRP Patag (PATS-2702) will strengthen the Philippine Coast Guard’s operational efficiency in safeguarding the country’s vast waters,” Cayabyab said in a statement. (Also read: Philippines observes increased Chinese Coast Guard deployment in disputed waters)
“They will enhance our ability to conduct maritime safety operations and respond to emergencies at sea, including oil spills and other marine environmental protection challenges.”
The two vessels will be manned by 24 crew members who underwent months of specialized operational and maintenance training in Baltimore, Maryland.
Commodore Cayabyab said the US donation “reflects the longstanding partnership between the Philippines and the USA and their shared commitment to maritime security and regional stability across the Indo-Pacific.”
Washington had promised to donate four Coast Guard vessels to President Ferdinand Marcos during his 2023 visit to Washington, along with three used C-130H transport planes. The four Coast Guard ships include two Marine Protector-class and Island-class vessels.
The US has donated similar Marine Protector-class vessels to Malta, Ghana, Uruguay, Yemen, and Lebanon.
