Nagsagawa ang Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) ng “contingents through an arrival ceremony” para sa dalawang barko ng USCG at JCG sa headquarters nito sa South Harbor, Manila.
Ito ay kaugnay ng pitong araw na Trilateral Kaagapay Maritime Exercise, na magsisimula ngayong araw, June 1, hanggang 7.
Kabilang sa pagsasanay na ito ang nasa mahigit 400 Coast Guard mula sa mga bansang US, Japan, at Pilipinas na gaganapin sa Mariveles, Bataan.
Dala ng PCG personnel ang BRP Melchora Aquino, BRP Gabriela Silang, at BRP Boracay habang isang 44-meter multi-role response vessel ng Stratton (WMSL-752) ang sa USCG at Japan Vessel Akitsushima (PLH-32) ng JCG.
Kalahok din dito ang 44-meter MRRV sa pamamagitan ng Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)- (DOTr) na Maritime Safety Improvement Project.
Layunin ng PCG-USCG-JCG maritime exercise na palakasin at patatagin ang interoperability ng kani-kaniyang bansa sa pamamagitan ng communication exercises, maneuvering drills, photo exercises, maritime law enforcement training, Search and Rescue (SAR), passing exercises at marami pang iba.
Magsasagawa rin ng boarding inspection ang joint law enforcement team mula sa tatlong Coast Guards na susundan ng SAR operation, human resource development program, partikular sa law at enforcement training.
Present sa naturang aktibidad sina PCG Commandant, CG Admiral Artemio Abu, PCG Officer-in-Charge, CG Vice Admiral Rolando Punzalan Jr., U.S Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Loss Carlson, Embassy of Japan’s Deputy Chief of Mission and Minister Kenichi Matsuda, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Enrique Manalo, DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista, at JICA Chief Representative in the Philippines Takema Sakamoto. —sa ulat ni Felix Laban, DZME News
