PCG Commandant, Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan will welcome the VCG ship, CSB 8002, arriving on August 5. —-photo by Arnel Tacson/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — A Vietnam Coast Guard (VCG) ship will arrive in the country for a four-day port call in Manila from August 5 to 9, according to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).
In a statement on Sunday, PCG said that its Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan will welcome the VCG ship, CSB 8002, which consists of approximately 80 crew on board.
READ: PCG briefs Vietnam officials ahead of Marcos’ Hanoi trip
Gavan said the four-day port call will “foster mutual understanding and enhance cooperation between the two Coast Guards,” which is set to be led by PCG spokesperson Rear Admiral Armand Balilo and VCG Region 2 Vice Commander Colonel Hoang Quoc Dat.
“After the low-key arrival ceremony tomorrow, August 5, 2024, Coast Guard officers and personnel will board CSB 8002 for a vessel tour. It will be followed by VCG’s courtesy call to the PCG Commandant at the National Headquarters and a fellowship sports activity at the PCG Gymnasium,” Balilo said.
He added that the coast guards of both countries will hold a planning conference for the search and rescue and fire and explosion prevention training.
Facility visit
“There will also be a facility visit at the National Coast Watch Center (NCWC) and Marine Science Investigation Force (MSIF) Laboratory, as well as a vessel tour on board the 83-meter offshore patrol vessel, BRP Gabriela Silang (OPV-8301),” Balilo said.
“Concluding the port call will be the conduct of SAR, fire, and explosion prevention training, and passing exercise in the vicinity waters of Manila Bay. CSB 8002 will depart the Philippine waters after a comprehensive debriefing and evaluation of the joint PCG-VCG initiative,” he further detailed.
Earlier this year, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Gavan visited Hanoi in Vietnam and tackled the strong bilateral relations between the two coast guards.
Last January 30, the PCG and VCG formally signed the memorandum of understanding on maritime cooperation, wherein they agreed to develop a joint coast guard committee “to discuss common issues and interests and establish a hotline communication mechanism.”