13 August 2015 –Philippine Consul General in Manado Oscar G. Orcine paid a courtesy call on Mr. Pung Nugruho, the Head of the Regional Office of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries of North Sulawesi at the latter’s office in Bitung City LAST June 30. The Consul General was accompanied by Vice Consul Jan Sherwin P. Wenceslao, Protocol Officer Mr. Noli M. Susi and Translator/Interpreter Raymondo Octavanny Miracles-Wagiu.

During the course of the meeting, the Consul General and the Chief of Fisheries discussed outstanding issues involving the arrest of Filipino nationals suspected to be engaged in Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing in Bitung City; recent developments in Indonesian fisheries regulations that impact Philippine business and investments in Indonesia and seamless communication and coordination between MMAF authorities and the Consulate General. The Consul General also took advantage of the opportunity to personally visit the 120 purportedly Filipino fishermen detained by fisheries officials. END