By Junex Doronio
MANILA — Amid ongoing tensions in the West Philippine Sea, the Philippine Coast Guard and Vietnam Coast Guard conducted their first-ever joint maritime exercise on Friday (09 Aug 2024) marking a historic collaboration aimed at showcasing their emergency response capabilities.
The exercise was held eight nautical miles from Corregidor Island at the mouth of Manila Bay.
Despite their respective territorial claims in the West Philippine Sea, the joint activity sought to enhance the interoperability and operational readiness of both coast guards, as active member states of the ASEAN Coast Guard Forum (ACF).
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported that the exercises included search and rescue operations, fire and explosion prevention drills, and a passing exercise.
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