US announces P450 million funding for PCG modernization

MANILA, Philippines — The United States has announced an $8-million, or P450-million, new funding for the modernization of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

During the third Maritime Dialogue in Manila last Thursday, the US Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement said the new funding would support the PCG’s infrastructure enhancements, training program development and resource acquisition and management planning.

The Philippines and the US held their third Maritime Dialogue where the two countries underscored their shared commitment to strengthening compliance with international law as reflected in the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

They also stressed the importance of the 2016 Arbitral Award in the South China Sea.

Led by the Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary for maritime and ocean affairs Marshall Louis Alferez and US Department of State Deputy Assistant Secretary Mahlet Mesfin, the delegates reviewed ongoing cooperative efforts and discussed ways for the two countries to jointly address current challenges and shared maritime concerns, particularly in the South China Sea.

Both sides also discussed deepening cooperation on maritime law enforcement, including capacity building of the PCG; addressing the impact of climate change and sea level rise, and countering illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.