MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Navy (PN) is deploying floating assets and personnel to secure Manila Bay and nearby maritime approaches for the upcoming 49th ASEAN Summit in Metro Manila next week.
PN spokesperson Capt. Marissa Martinez announced that newly acquired offshore patrol vessels—the BRP Rajah Sulayman (PS-20) and BRP Rajah Lakandula (PS-21)—will lead the maritime security operations alongside units from the Naval Defense Command.
“The majority of the vessels under the Naval Defense Command will be deployed to provide maritime security and safeguard Manila Bay, its maritime approaches, and other strategically significant maritime areas during the ASEAN Summit,” Martinez stated on Friday, November 13, on the sidelines of the Navy’s change of command ceremony in Manila.
In addition to naval vessels, the deployment includes Marines, naval special operations forces, and air warfare assets conducting patrols west, north, and south of Manila Bay. Martinez assured that despite the heightened security measures for the regional meeting, routine operations and maritime domain awareness activities in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) will remain uninterrupted.
High-Level Regional Meetings
Manila is hosting this year’s ASEAN Summit and Related Summits under the theme “Navigating Our Future, Together.” The high-level meetings will run from November 16 to 18 at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City, gathering Southeast Asian leaders and dialogue partners, including the United States, China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, and the United Nations.
Multi-Agency Security Grid
The naval deployment forms part of a broader security initiative across multiple government agencies:
- Philippine National Police (PNP): Mobilized more than 19,000 personnel to secure venues, hotels, and motorcade routes. The National Capital Region Police Office, alongside regional offices in Central Luzon and Calabarzon, is under full alert from November 13 to 19.
- Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA): Placed all regional offices on heightened alert from November 13 to 23. MARINA ordered the temporary suspension of dredging, reclamation, and marine works within 500 yards of the Pasay, Manila, and Parañaque shorelines from November 15 to 18, alongside a designated 3.5-nautical-mile no-loitering zone.
PNP Chief PGen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. emphasized that community safety will not be compromised during the summit.
“Our commitment to securing the ASEAN Summit will not come at the expense of the safety and security of our communities. The PNP’s regular police operations, crime prevention efforts, and emergency response services remain fully operational while we fulfill our Summit security responsibilities,” Nartatez said.