Philippines Conducts Maritime Coordination Seminar with Australia
Foreign Affairs Deputy Assistant Secretary for Maritime and Ocean Affairs Emmanuel R. Fernandez (left) and the Deputy Head of Mission of the Australian Embassy in the Philippines Mr. Richard Sisson (right) opened the Maritime Coordination Seminar held from 29 to 30 September 2021. (DFA photo)
PASAY CITY 05 October 2021 – The Department of Foreign Affairs-Maritime and Ocean Affairs Office (DFA-MOAO) and the Embassy of Australia in the Philippines conducted a Maritime Coordination Seminar on 29-30 September 2021 as the concluding activity for the observance of the Maritime and Archipelagic Nation Awareness Month (MANA Mo).
The DFA-MOAO and the Embassy commenced the month-long observance of MANA Mo with the successful conduct of a tabletop exercise involving Philippine maritime law enforcement agencies on 01-03 September 2021. Both the tabletop exercise and the Seminar were part of a series of capacity-building activities in commemoration of the 75thanniversary of Philippines-Australia diplomatic relations.
85 participants from 17 agencies comprising the National Coast Watch System that includes the DFA, National Coast Watch Council, National Coast Watch Center, National Coast Watch Council Secretariat, Department of Energy, Department of Finance, Department of Justice, Department of National Defense, National Security Council, Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine Navy, Philippine National Police Maritime Group, Philippine Center for Transnational Crime, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Bureau of Customs, Bureau of Immigration, and the National Bureau of Investigation actively participated in this Seminar facilitated by the Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security.
The Seminar focused on sharing best practices, particularly in the enhancement of inter-agency coordination and in the creation of a more coherent approach on maritime issues and maritime security operations to strengthen the country’s governance of its maritime domain.
Deputy Executive Secretary Alberto Bernardo, Alternate Chairperson of the National Coast Watch Council, provided the Philippines’ perspectives and own efforts towards having more integrated and effective maritime policies and institutions. END
The participants of the Maritime Coordination Seminar were composed of officials from 17 agencies comprising the National Coast Watch System.(DFA photo)
Deputy Executive Secretary and Alternate Chairperson of the National Coast Watch Council Alberto A. Bernardo (top left) Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary for Maritime and Ocean Affairs Maria Angela A. Ponce (top right), Counsellor for Political-Economic and Public Affairs of the Australian Embassy in the Philippines Mr. James Yeomans (bottom left), and Director and distinguished Professor of Law from the Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security Professor Stuart Kaye (bottom right) during the Closing Session of the Maritime Coordination Seminar held on 30 September 2021. (DFA photo)