Manila to upgrade navy base as it acquires ships amid China dispute

The Philippines would upgrade a navy base facing disputed South China Sea waters to serve the extra ships being acquired to protect its territory, the military said yesterday.

Navy spokesman Lieutenant-Commander Gregory Fabic said the military would build a 500-million-peso (HK$87 million) port at Ulugan Bay, the Philippine military base nearest to the Spratly Islands, known as the Nansha Islands by China.

"It is being programmed for capability upgrade ... we need to develop it to house the big vessels of the navy," he said.

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