Philippines, Japan and US coast guards to hold first trilateral drill next month

/ Manila Shimbun
By Robina Asido
Coast guards of the Philippine, Japan and United States will conduct its first  trilateral maritime exercise in the West Philippine Sea next month.
Rear Admiral Armando Balilo, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesman, said the Japanese and United States coast guards that will participate during next week’s exercise are set to arrive in Manila onboard USCGC Stratton  and Akitsushima, respectively, on Thursday.
Balilo said the PCG will invite US Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Loss Carlson, Embassy of Japan’s Deputy Chief of Mission and Minister Kenichi Matsuda,  Foreign Affairs (Secretary Enrique Manalo, Transport Secretary Jaime Bautista, and JICA Chief Representative in the Philippines Takema Sakamoto to welcome the USCG and JCG contingents through an arrival ceremony at Pier 15, South Harbor.
He said around 100 Japanese, 100 American  and 200 Philippine Coast Guard personnel are expected to participate during the maritime exercise that will be held off the waters of Bataan province which is out of the 12 nautical miles territorial sea but within the 24 nautical miles contiguous zone of the Philippine territory.
Since the drill will be conducted in the West Philippine Sea, Balilo said some PCG vessels will serve as security vessels that will monitor and secure the vicinity of the exercise area.
“We have security vessels in case there are other vessels that will come near we will challenge them,” he noted.
Balilo said the PCG will deploy  BRP Melchora Aquino , BRP Gabriela Silang, BRP Boracay  and one 44-meter multi-role response vessel during the maritime exercise. He also noted that the Philippines, US and Japan will also deploy three helicopters (one helicopter each) to join the vessel.
“Participating Coast Guard personnel will demonstrate a scenario involving a suspected vessel involved in piracy. The joint law enforcement team from the three Coast Guards will conduct a boarding inspection followed by a SAR operation,” he said.
The week-long engagement will also “involve a sporting event to strengthen the three Coast Guards’ camaraderie, a special interest exchange for women in maritime law enforcement, and an expert exchange for PCG personnel’s professional development.”
“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 exercises,” he added.
Balilo said they are planning to invite Australian and Indian Coast Guards to observe the trilateral maritime exercise.
The PCG, with the representatives of Japan and US Coast Guards, finalized the details about the maritime exercise in a meeting headed by Coast Guard Officer-in-Charge, Vice Admiral Rolando Punzalan Jr.  on Monday.
Punzalan stressed that the maritime exercise would also improve maritime cooperation and understanding between the three nation’s coast guards.
“The US Coast Guard and Japan Coast Guard have been assisting us in our human resource development program, particularly in law enforcement training. This is a good opportunity to thank and show them what our personnel learned from their programs,” he said. DMS