Different agencies hold maritime exercises off Manila Bay

Several government agencies took part in exercises in the waters off Manila Bay on Friday to test their capabilities in responding to maritime threats, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said.

In a statement, the PCG said "Inter-Agency Exercise Alalayan 2023'' aimed to check agencies' capabilities to detect, identify, and interdict maritime threats within the county's waters. 

Among the maritime exercise scenarios used were illegal drug trafficking, goods smuggling, human trafficking, and fire at sea.

The agencies also tested the Indian Ocean Regional Information Sharing & Incident Management Network (IORIS) as a communications platform for interagency planning and coordination.

Deployed during the exercises were BRP Melchora Aquino, BRP Malapascua, BRP Boracay, and a Coast Guard Aviation Force (CGAF) helicopter.

The Philippine Navy, the Philippine National Police-Maritime Group, and the Bureau of Quarantine also dispatched their respective assets and personnel. 

Other participating agencies were the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Command Center, the AFP Intelligence Service, the Bureau of Immigration, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, the Bureau of Customs, and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.

The event was organized by the Office of the President’s National Coast Watch Center and the European Union's Critical Maritime Routes Indo-Pacific (CRIMARIO II).  — VBL, GMA Integrated News