The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the United States Coast Guard (PCG) decided to continue their joint search and rescue exercise (SAREX) amid the bad weather caused by Typhoon Henry, the PCG said Sunday, Sept. 4.
The SAREX was conducted about 40 miles off Luzon Point in Mariveles, Bataan from Sept. 2 to 3, and not in West Philippine Sea (WPS) near Zambales and Lubang Island in Occidental Mindoro where it was initially set, according to Commodore Armando Balilo, PCG spokesperson.
“Due to Typhoon Henry, the PCG-USCG joint SAR exercise was conducted 40 miles off Luzon Point in Mariveles, Bataan and not in the vicinity of Subic, Zambales based on the exercise plan,” he said.
The two-day at-sea drills involved communication exercises, maneuvering drills, photo exercises, decoding messages through flag hoisting, flashing exercises, publication exercises, small boat operations, boarding operations, SAR exercises, and medical assistance between American and Filipino coast guardians.
While underway, personnel aboard PCG vessels BRP Gabriela Silang (OPV-8301), an offshore patrol vessel, and BRP Melchora Aquino (MRRV-9702), a multi-role response vessel, performed an anti-piracy exercise.
Two teams from the PCG's Law Enforcement Afloat Detachment (LEAD) enacted evidence preservation, investigation, and case build-up to simulate a scenario where the offenders' orderly prosecution and conviction were established.
“Piracy is a high sea and universal crime where cooperation among Coast Guard counterparts is crucial to achieving success,” Admiral Artemio Abu, PCG Commandant, said.
The second day of the training involved BRP Gabriela Silang where she responded to a distress call from a simulated cargo vessel, BRP Melchora Aquino. BRP Gabriela Silang (OPV-8301) deployed its rigid-hulled inflatable boat (RHIB) to rescue survivors out of the water and turn them over to medical personnel for assessment.
US Coast Guard Cutter (USCGC) Midgett (WMSL-757) then rendered assistance while transiting the vicinity waters.
There were also a series of sea-phase demonstrations to conclude the port visit of USCG Cutter Midgett (WMSL-757), which arrived in Manila last August 30. USCGC Midgett is the fourth USCG vessel that visited the Philippines, following USCGC Waesche in 2012, USCGC Bertholf in 2019, and USCGC Munro in 2021.
Rear Adm., Charlie Rances, commander of PCG Fleet, previously noted that joint SAREX aimed to address maritime safety challenges by assessing the PCG and USCG's capabilities for information exchange and interoperability at sea among participating units, surface, and air assets.
Meanwhile, US Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Loss Carlson had said that the mission also intended to contribute toward attaining a connected, open, and secure Indo-Pacific region.