Philippines accelerates Naval base expansion

The Philippines is bolstering its maritime defence posture with an ambitious plan to establish and upgrade multiple naval bases across the archipelago, including strategic sites near disputed waters and facilities under its basing agreement with the United States.

Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro recently announced that infrastructure work will be accelerated on Balabac Island, located at the southern tip of Palawan province. The island serves as a joint Air Force and Navy base and is considered a critical location for monitoring maritime activities in the region, Caliber.Az reports via Defense News.

“The island is a strategic location for the country,” Teodoro said, noting that an increased military presence there will help deter potential surveillance activities targeting the main island of Palawan. Authorities have expressed concern over suspected Chinese espionage sleeper cells in the province.

Balabac lies approximately 140 nautical miles from Mischief Reef, a China-controlled artificial island situated within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ). A 2016 arbitral tribunal ruling affirmed the Philippines' claim to the reef, but China has rejected the decision and continued its military buildup in the area, known locally as the West Philippine Sea.

The Balabac facility is one of nine Philippine military sites covered under a bilateral Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) with the United States. The deal allows for the rotational presence of U.S. troops, the prepositioning of equipment, and U.S. funding for base upgrades. These sites include six Air Force bases, two Army bases, and one Navy base — many of them located in northern Luzon.

Beyond Balabac, the Philippine Navy is moving forward with broader plans to construct additional naval facilities throughout the country. The efforts are part of a long-term Strategic Basing Plan aimed at strengthening maritime security and expanding naval reach by 2040.

Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea and Inspector General of the Navy, told Defense News that the initiative is designed to support both new and existing fleets.

“The bases are not only for the new ships but also for the old ones,” he said.

In recent years, the Navy has significantly expanded its capabilities, acquiring frigates, offshore patrol vessels, sealift ships, fast attack crafts, radars, and missile systems. Additional corvettes from South Korea are also expected to join the fleet.

“We want to look at other areas where we can base our ships,” Trinidad said. “But the larger goal is to be able to have a stronger naval footprint in that part of the country.”

To that end, the Navy plans to develop 28 forward operating bases — smaller naval outposts strategically positioned near the West Philippine Sea and the Philippine Rise. The latter area, northeast of Luzon, has experienced increased activity from Chinese research vessels over the past year.

Among the key infrastructure projects are a major naval base in Subic Bay and a support base in Mindanao, both of which were confirmed during the Navy’s 127th anniversary in May. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced that construction will soon begin at Naval Station Nabasan, with Chiquita and Grande Islands in Subic Bay to follow.

These areas lie across from the Agila Subic Shipyard, formerly the Hanjin shipyard, which was acquired in 2022 by U.S. private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management. In March, the islands drew public attention after authorities detained several Chinese and Filipino nationals on suspicion of espionage.

Meanwhile, a new naval support base is set to rise in Natividad, Misamis Oriental province, to serve ships currently stationed at Sangley Point in Cavite.

“For now, these areas will be declared military reservation camps, and then later developed as naval bases,” Trinidad said, noting that the government is awaiting presidential proclamation documents.

Enhancements are also underway at existing facilities, including Naval Base Rafael Ramos in Cebu, which is being prepared to accommodate the Navy’s frigates and sealift vessels.

In an effort to streamline operations and optimize resources, the military is considering shared basing arrangements between the Navy and Air Force.

“This is the thrust of the [Department of National Defense]… bases do not need to be exclusive. It would be good for us on the resource management side to do joint basing rather than developing our bases individually,” Trinidad said.

The expansion comes amid heightened tensions in the South China Sea, where Philippine vessels continue to face harassment from Chinese maritime forces. The government sees these developments as a crucial step in asserting its territorial integrity and safeguarding its maritime interests.

By Sabina Mammadli