For instance, under the Excess Defense Articles and Foreign Assistance Act of the US, the US approved the Aquino administration's request to purchase three Hamilton class cutters and other US naval equipment to aid in patrolling the Spratly waters.
But the Coast Guard's top priority is replacing "Famous class" cutters like the Bear and the even older 210-foot "Reliance class" cutters that first entered service during the Vietnam War with a new Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC).
With better foul weather stationkeeping abilities than the Navy craft, the Point class cutters of the Squadron were shifted for use during the northeast monsoon season in the northern half of the country.
In February 1969, Squadron One personnel began training SVN engineers in the maintenance and repair of the Point class cutters that would eventually be turned over to the South Vietnamese government under the "Vietnamization" program.
Part of the budget will be sourced from the royalties of the Malampaya natural gas project in Palawan while the rest will come from the AFP modernization fund.3 In addition, he announced the Philippine government's acquisition of its first Hamilton-class cutter from the US Coast Guard renamed as the BRP Gregorio del Pilar, and will be followed by two more.
The decision to use the Point-class cutter was one of logistics.
The 95 foot Cape-class cutter was initially considered an option by Roland since it had a greater speed because of its four main drive engines.
All officers assigned to command cutters were required to have commanded a Cape-class cutter and had to volunteer for the assignment of commanding officer.
The Point-class cutter had only two main drive engines but they were more consistent throughout the class than the Cape-class cutters, thus making it easier to maintain a supply of spare parts and fewer engines to maintain.
Additional factors favoring the Point-class cutter were an unmanned engine room with all controls and alarms on the bridge and air-conditioned living spaces, a big factor with a tropical climate where crews were expected to live on the boat whether on or off duty.
At the high school, hallways that were crowded with rowdy class-cutters all day long are clear.
