PCG open to more maritime drills with regional neighbors

Metro Manila, Philippines — The Philippine Coast Guard said on Friday it is open to hold another maritime exercise with Vietnam and regional neighbors as well, a coast guard official said.

This followed the historic drill between Manila and Hanoi on Aug. 9 west of Corregidor Island in the West Philippine Sea.

Capt. Lawrence Roque, commanding officer of the BRP Gabriela Silang, said conducting more maritime exercises with Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) neighbors has been tackled.

“Iyong ASEAN coast guard forum ay naglahad po ng cooperation ang ASEAN countries na maglahad ng panahon para po sa pagbisita ng bawat bansa sa kanilang opposite counterparts,” he said.

[Translation: During the ASEAN coast guard forum, ASEAN countries expressed their cooperation to give time for their countries to visit their foreign counterparts.]

The joint maritime drill sought to boost interoperability and maritime cooperation between Manila and Hanoi amid rising tensions in the South China Sea.

The Philippines and Vietnam have conflicting claims on the contested waters, in particular with the rich Spratly Islands. Both countries have filed for an extended continental shelf in the South China Sea before the United Nations this year.

Roque said the maritime drills are an avenue to strengthen collaboration between countries who have overlapping claims on the South China Sea.

“And being an ASEAN [member] also, maganda na magkaroon tayo ng isang [it’s good that we get a common direction which is rules-based approach ng Pilipinas [of the Philippines],” he said.

In January, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed a memorandum of understanding with Vietnam during his state meeting with then Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong. The agreement aims to develop a joint coast guard committee and establish a hotline communication mechanism between Manila and Hanoi.

Maritime drills not China-related

Meanwhile, Roque said the maritime drill was not related to the escalating actions of China in the West Philippine Sea, adding that the mission was purely for humanitarian purposes.

“Kaya dito natin ginawa iyong exercise within the territorial waters… We are facing the West Philippine Sea sa likod. And hopefully hindi po ganon ang kanilang maging tratro rito,” he said.

[Translation: That’s why we held our maritime exercises within our territorial waters. We are facing the West Philippine Sea. I hope China doesn’t look at it that way.]

The coast guard of both countries conducted search and rescue missions, fire and explosion prevention, and passing exercises during the maritime drills.

The Vietnamese ship sailed back home Friday afternoon.