Czech Hangars for the Philippine Coast Guard

25.04.2017 / 06:49

The expanding Philippine Coast Guard will soon be needing greater accommodation, training and storage capacity, opening up an opportunity for Czech suppliers.

A presentation by Attl a spol. took place on 18 April 2017 at the Philippine Coast Guard headquarters showcasing the company’s manufacture and assembly of K-SPAN system arched halls. The company’s Head of Sales, Tomáš Attl, and Sales Manager Lanka Attlová provided a detailed description of options for the production and supply of hangars for accommodation, training new Coast Guard cadets and storing equipment. The current need is mainly as a result of a rapid growth in the number of members of this branch of the state’s armed forces, which unconventionally operates within the Ministry of Transport.

Extensive modernisation of civil and military airports is taking place in the country, with the government’s modernisation programmes currently covering practically all the major islands. At the same time a long-term expansion in Philippine Coast Guard numbers is currently underway. The Coast Guard’s accommodation and storage capacities do not as yet reflect the newly mandated increase which will begin with 4000 new recruits in the initial phase but over 10 years the Coast Guard should comprise 30 000 people compared to current numbers of 9000. This number also needs to take into account officers who will leave after reaching retirement age.

Attl’s presentation demonstrated a complete arched hall solution both for accommodating new recruits and senior admirals, and also a modular solution for storing the Coast Guard’s reconnaissance aircraft. The presentation also showcased its unique technology for bending thin-walled profiles which can be fully adjusted to customer requirements. Attl also showcased individual modifications in which constructed halls can be used as training premises and operations rooms.

Philippine Coast Guard representatives appreciated the high technical quality and options for alterations to the whole project as required. According to a statement by the head of the Coast Guard’s Response Centre, Allan Corpuz, the implementation of this type of solution is an absolutely vital condition for meeting the Philippine Coast Guard’s strategic objectives. According to Commander Corpuz, the accommodation and storage capacity issue must be dealt with immediately in accordance with the priorities of the Philippine Ministry of Transport to avoid exceeding current capacities and also to maintain growth of this vital state agency.

Great interest was also expressed in the presentation by Coast Guard members present, including logistics security, trainers and pilots who posed a large number of specialist questions. At its conclusion, the Embassy in Manila expressed its support in communication with the Philippines Ministry of Transport and with the use of economic diplomacy tools.

Benjamin Žiga, Trade and Economy Department, Embassy of the Czech Republic in Manila