US announces P450M funding for PCG modernization

The United States (US) announced a new funding worth P450 million for the modernization of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), the US Embassy in the Philippines said on Monday.

“During the Maritime Dialogue, the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement announced Php450 million ($8 million) in new funding for the modernization of the PCG,” the US embassy said in a statement.

“This funding will support the PCG’s infrastructure enhancements, training program development, and resource acquisition and management planning,” it added

The embassy said the US and the Philippines held their 3rd Maritime Dialogue in Manila on October 24 where they shared commitment to compliance with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

According to the embassy, the two countries also reiterated the importance of the 2016?Arbitral award on the South China Sea (SCS)

The delegates were led by Philippine 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 participants reviewed ongoing cooperative efforts and discussed ways for the two countries to jointly address current challenges and shared maritime concerns, particularly in the SCS.

“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 (IUUF),” the embassy said.

The Maritime Dialogue, first conducted in 2022, serves as a platform to improve maritime policy and operational coordination between the US and the Philippines, according to the embassy.—Joviland Rita/AOL, GMA Integrated News