Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 29) – The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), the United States Coast Guard (USCG), and Japan Coast Guard (JCG) are set to hold their first trilateral maritime exercises in the waters off Mariveles, Bataan, from June 1 to June 7.
“The PCG-USCG-JCG maritime exercise would strengthen interoperability through communication exercises, maneuvering drills, photo exercises, maritime law enforcement training, search and rescue (SAR), and passing exercise,” the PCG said in a statement Monday.
It said that it would deploy the following vessels for the exercises: BRP Melchora Aquino (MRRV-9702), BRP Gabriela Silang (OPV-8301), BRP Boracay (FPB-2401), and one 44-meter multi-role response vessel.
The USCG and the JCG will deploy the USCG Cutter Stratton (WMSL-752) and Akitsushima (PLH-32), respectively. Australia and India will also likely be invited as observers.
The three participating coast guards will simulate boarding and search and rescue operations in piracy and terrorism scenarios. The Philippines and the US held similar maritime drills in the waters off Bataan last September.
“It will give us a glimpse of what the best practices na pwede nating gayahin o puwede nating kunin doon sa mga [that we can emulate or learn from our] counterparts and at the same time, we can also share our best practices,” PCG spokesperson Armand Balilo said.
These exercises come after the proposed strengthening of the tripartite agreement between Manila, Washington, and Tokyo, and will be conducted amid conflicts in the South China Sea and the Indo-Pacific, particularly, Beijing’ s aggressive behavior towards Filipino vessels in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
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However, the PCG denied that the trilateral exercises had anything to do with Chinese harassment in the WPS.
Meanwhile, the Philippines and the United States earlier said they were looking to conduct joint maritime drills with “like-minded” countries in the South China Sea.
