There's really nothing earthshaking about the arrival of an old American cutter as the country's newest military asset. The only good news about it is that the Philippine Navy has now an additional force to boost its patrolling capabilities around the country.
With the situation in the West Philippine Sea getting more volatile, the BRP Ramon Alcaraz will never have an impact in the ongoing territorial conflict with the mighty China and other contesting countries. It will never scare away vessels of the Chinese, whose presence in areas claimed by the Philippines is vastly increasing.
Among the claimants in the Spratlys, the Philippines is the weakest militarily. In fact, our weakness even resulted in the loss of some islets under the country's exclusive economic zone to the Chinese.
While it helps that the recent acquisition of the refurbished second Hamilton-class cutter would give the ill-equipped Philippine Armed Forces more life, it would have little effect in defending the country in case an armed conflict among the claimants erupts. The BRP Ramon Alcaraz would look like an ordinary patrol boat against those sophisticated Chinese warships during any confrontation.
Up north, meanwhile, Japan has unveiled its biggest warship since World War II, heightening that country's goal of boosting its defense system as it begins to shred the role of a pacifist nation after the war. This development comes amid an ongoing tension over a territorial dispute with China.
While Japan is announcing its brand-new warship, the Philippines remains stuck to being a regular recipient of American aid to boost its military. Well, there's nothing wrong with that considering the fact that the country cannot afford the same massive military modernization that China is currently undergoing.
We see the arrival of the BRP Ramon Alcaraz as a boost in the capability of the Philippine Navy to monitor the seawaters around the country. But, on the other hand, the government should not take steps that would only send warning to other territorial claimants that the Philippines is ready to engage in any military confrontation.