Pitz Defense Analysis

New on Pitz Defense Analysis website: The Department of National Defense, specifically the Armed Forces of the Philippines, received a higher budgetary allotment for fiscal year 2026 compared to its allotments from previous years. This is is especially true for the Revised AFP Modernization Program, whereby it received a total of Php 90 billion allotment, the highest there is since its implementation as an enacted legislation from 2013 under the Republic Act 10349. While the significant increase is laudable, the budget itself also raises concerns on its shortcomings compared to the DND's actual requirements for territorial defense. More details in the article written below. #PDA #PitzDefAnalysis #PhilippineDefenseBudget #GeneralAppropriationsAct2026 #DepartmentOfNationalDefense #ArmedForcesOfThePhilippines pitzdefanalysis.net/2026/04/philip…

I hate to say this. Since BRP Teresa Magbanua was forced out of Sabina Shoal following the non-kinetic assault by PRC forces in August 2024, there's been no de facto permanent PH surface patrols at Sabina Shoal. MDA flights can't do anything to these PRC "squatters".

Philippines no longer military 'weakling' but buildup has far to go Enhanced navy and air force would still need help to repel Chinese attack s.nikkei.com/4uPImkr

NEW: CSIS's @AsiaMTI shares recent satellite imagery to provide updates regarding Vietnam's continued expansion of its Spratly Island outposts. View the imagery and read the analysis: amti.csis.org/keeping-score-…

The said weaponry refers to the Type 88 anti-ship missile platform, which was fired for the first time in the Philippines during the sinking exercise of the Joint Exercise Balikatan 2026.

By "sensitive and controversial", 🇨🇳@Chinaembmanila means the parts of the #WestPhilippineSea over which #China has recently seized control and now blocks 🇵🇭#Philippines' access.

Image: The Philippine Navy ships BRP Diego Silang FFG7 and BRP Tarlac LD601 docked side by side in Cebu's Naval Operating Base Rafael Ramos. While the image focuses on the ships, it is more important to look on the naval facility they are dock on, as there are still more works to accomplish, especially on key areas that a Naval Operating Base needs, such as on administrative offices, personnel quarters and barracks, recreational facilities, maintenance facilities for the ships such as a dedicated drydock, warehouses for ammunition and supplies, and also an oil storage depot for the ships docked. The development of NOB Rafael Ramos, along with the proposed facility in PHIVIDEC Misamis Oriental, highlights that developing the areas for the Philippine Navy vessels are important, especially given the ongoing trend of buying both new and used vessels by the service branch, with the latter being the Abukuma-class Destroyer Escorts that both Philippines and Japan have agreed on once the Japanese military export laws becoming less strict. Added also to this is that having multiple finger piers needed to come as a feature for Naval Operating Vessels, enabling Philippine Navy ships to independently docking directly to the pier, rather than docking alongside other Philippine Navy ships such as on the image below, allowing the ship and its crew to have the space needed for docking. This effectively gives a free access for the ship's personnel disembarking and embarking their respective vessel directly to the pier and without the need to pass by another docked ship sandwiched between the pier and the designated vessel at dock. With more naval facilities in mind, this will effectively distribute the naval capabilities of the Phimippine Armed Forces across the country, and with it minimizes the vulnerability of vessels concentrated on a single Naval Operating Base like in Subic in an event of a full blown conflict. #PDA #PitzDefAnalysis #PhilippineNavy #NOBRafaelRamos #CebuCity #PitzDef10thAnniversary Image is from Naval Forces Central, Facebook Page.

Are they real or Are they trolls? Filipina journalist @RegineCabato highlights a recent trade - Pro-Duterte and Pro-China supporters are no longer hiding behind anonymous profiles. Now, real people are beginning to have the same rhetoric as troll farms. The line between real people and coordinated influence operations is blurring, and this is a dangerous development.

The Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines is now looking for options relative to the capabilities showcased during the Joint Exercise Balikatan 2026, especially with the ones fielded by the Japan Self-Defense Force. Among those that will likely benefited on the Japanese relaxation of arms export restrictions as part of its official foreign policy stance is the Type 88 anti-ship missile, which was tested outside Japan for the first time. #PDA #PitzDefAnalysis #Type88AShM #Balikatan2026 #ArmedForcesOfThePhilippines

The Chinese Embassy in Manila has once again inadvertently admitted what we have long asserted: that China is conducting illegal Marine Scientific Research (MSR) inside the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone. In their statement, they confirm that their research vessel Xiangyanghong 33 was operating in the waters near “China’s Houteng Jiao” — their name for Iroquois Reef, the southernmost part of Recto Bank (Reed Bank). This area lies well within the Philippines’ 200-nautical-mile EEZ and continental shelf. It does not belong to China. Under UNCLOS Article 246, marine scientific research in the EEZ of a coastal state shall be conducted only with the consent of that coastal state. China has no such consent from the Philippines. Their unilateral “legitimate marine ecological survey” is therefore a clear and deliberate violation of Philippine sovereign rights and international law. The presence of China Coast Guard vessels and their so-called “professional and standardized maneuvers” in these waters is equally unlawful. The China Coast Guard has no jurisdiction, no law enforcement authority, and no sovereign rights in Philippine waters. Their actions constitute an illegal assertion of jurisdiction in an area where they have none. The 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award was crystal clear: China’s nine-dash line has no legal basis, Recto Bank/Reed Bank falls squarely within the Philippines’ EEZ, and Chinese claims to “historic rights” or jurisdiction over these waters are invalid. Our PCG Islander aircraft was simply doing routine MDA flight — monitoring unauthorized foreign activity inside our own EEZ. That is not “harassment.” It is the responsible exercise of our sovereign rights under international law. The real distortion of facts comes from Beijing’s repeated attempts to rewrite geography and law to suit its expansionist agenda.

As a sovereign nation, the Philippines has the inherent right to conduct military exercises with any country, including the United States and Japan. We possess the strategic autonomy to decide which security partnerships to strengthen and which alliances to build in pursuit of our national interest. I fully agree with @dndphl Secretary Gilbert Teodoro. China has no business interfering in or concerning itself with our sovereign decisions. As he rightly stated, we alone determine our defense and security policies based on what best serves our national interests.

Japanese troops launched a fiery volley of two Type 88 anti-ship missiles against a decommissioned ship in a landmark drill during Exercise Balikatan 2026 in the Philippines 🇯🇵🇵🇭🚀 By @combatpaparazzi navalnews.com/naval-news/202…

Interesting mapping of unauthorized PRC, ROK and Taiwanese marine scientific research activities in Japan EEZ since 2025 up till 7 May 2026.

Image: The Philippine Navy holds formal arrival ceremony for the ship and crew of BRP Rajah Lakandula (PS21) in Naval Operating Base Subic. The BRP Rajah Lakandula (PS21) is the second Rajah Sulayman-class offshore patrol vessel delivered by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries to the Philippine Navy, which ordered at least six (6) vessels belong to this class. With its arrival, preparations will be on its way for its eventual commissioning into the Philippine Navy's Offshore Combat Force (OCF) unit. Image from the Philippine Navy. #PDA #PitzDefAnalysis #BRPRajahLakandula #PhilippineNavy #RajahSulaymanClassOPV

Again and again

Two 🇨🇳#China Coast Guard conducting intrusive patrols, asserting Beijing's sovereignty claims within the exclusive economic zones of 🇻🇳#Vietnam, 🇮🇩#Indonesia & 🇲🇾#Malaysia (1-9 May 2026). Ship tracking credit: @StarboardIntel

Video: Here is the shot that took place during the Sinking Exercise phase of the Joint Exercise Balikatan 2026, whereby the former BRP Quezon got struck by at least one (1) out of two (2) Type 88 surface to ship missiles fired by the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force of JGSDF. The hit resulted to the BRP Quezon sinking down to the sea bed at around 75 kilometers off the coast of Paoay, Ilocos Norte, while there are also other units that take part in this exercise phase, namely the BRP Miguel Malvar (FFG6) and BRP Antonio Luna (FFG15) doing gunnery simulations with the target using the 76mm Oto Super Rapid guns onboard, as well as bombing runs from the Philippine Air Force's FA50 and A29 Super Tucano aircraft. This exercise comes as the BRP Quezon's final service to the Philippine Armed Forces' desired for expanded cooperation with like-minded nations. #PDA #PitzDefAnalysis #PhilippineNavy #JapanGroundSelfDefenseForce #JGSDF #PN #BRPQuezon #Type88Missile U.S. Marine Corps Video by LCpl Jeffrey Pruett, via DVIDSHUB.

Ships from the @USNavy, @USCG, @TeamAFP, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, @Australian_Navy and the @RoyalCanNavy steam in formation during a group sail exercise as part of Exercise Balikatan 2026 in the South China Sea. Balikatan is a longstanding annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and U.S. military that represents the strength of our alliance, improves our capable combined force, and demonstrates our commitment to regional peace and prosperity. #USMC #15thMEU #Balikatan2026

The 🇨🇳#China Coast Guard clearly forgot to ask 🇨🇳@SCS_PI & 🇨🇳@Chinaembmanila, or they would have known that, in Beijing's interpretation, displaying a flag at Sandy Cay constitutes an "attempt to occupy uninhabited features" & thus "violates relevant provisions of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC)".

The said is also the same one that China encountered that pursuing it ended up having their two ships colliding each other on the day of August 11, 2025.

Why does 🇨🇳#China increase its attacks on the 🇵🇭#Philippines on social media? Philippine Coast Guard Rear Admiral Jay Tarriela (@jaytaryela ) provides his analysis on why China has ramped up its attacks against Manila in 2026 Do you agree or disagree with RADM Tarriela? Let us know in the comments 👇 👉 Click here to subscribe and watch the full interview of the @IndoPacPodcast: youtube.com/watch?v=UaoZk4…