PH Consulate General in San Francisco hosts “A Forum on West Philippine Sea” in Observance of  Maritime and Archipelagic Nation Awareness Month

From left: Dr. Lisandro Claudio, Vice Admiral Toribio Adaci, Jr., Director Ray Powell, and Dr. Maria Ortuoste (San Francisco PCG photo)

SAN FRANCISCO 02 October 2024 – Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco hosted “A Forum on the Situation in the West Philippine Sea” on 18 September 2024 at the Philippine Center, in observance of the 2024 Maritime and Archipelagic Nation Awareness Month.

The Forum’s keynote address was delivered by the Flag Officer-In-Command of the Philippine Navy, Vice Admiral Toribio Adaci Jr., who shared his insights to further enhance the archipelagic mindset of the Filipinos, whether in the Philippine or abroad. The forum was moderated by Dr. Lisandro Claudio, the Chair of the Center for Southeast Asia Studies at the University of California Berkeley.

The event featured experts who shared their knowledge and perspectives on various aspects of the maritime issues in the West Philippine Sea (WPS). Philippine Coast Guard Spokesperson on the West Philippine Sea, Commodore Jay Tarriela, highlighted the transparency initiative of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. on the issues in the WPS, aimed to raise awareness and equip Filipinos and the international community with accurate information and events in WPS.

Moreover, Director Ray Powell, a retired U.S. Air Force and the Director of SeaLight, a maritime transparency project of the Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation at Stanford University, California, discussed how transparency builds national resilience and gains international support for the Philippines and its efforts to protect its territorial integrity.

Additionally, Dr. Maria Ortuoste, a professor of Political Science at the California State University East Bay, an expert on Southeast Asia and Indo-Pacific security, Philippine and US foreign policy, and maritime security; Focused on the interface between environment and conflict and how environmental degradation and resource scarcity can worsen conflicts. She believes that having a climate-centered code of conduct, and a common but differentiated responsibility towards environmental stewardship, can ensure sustainability of the oceans, including WPS.

Philippine Consul General in San Francisco Neil Frank Ferrer emphasized the importance of observing MANA Mo. “As part of our contribution towards the observance of MANAMo, the PCG in San Francisco has decided to organize this forum to raise consciousness among the sizeable Filipino community in the Bay Area and beyond, about the issue of the WPS and its impact on our security sector, our law enforcement agencies, our fisherfolk, and of course on our oceans and seas,” he said. END

Consul General to San Francisco Neil Frank R. Ferrer giving his Welcoming Remarks during the observance of the 2024 Maritime and Archipelagic Nation Awareness Month (San Francisco PCG photo)

Vice Admiral Toribio Adaci Jr. delivering his keynote speech (San Francisco PCG photo)

For more information, visit http://pcgsanfrancisco.org, https://www.facebook.com/PHinSF/ or https://www.instagram.com/phlinsf/.