THE Philippines and the United States governments held their third Maritime Dialogue in Manila on October 24, where they underscored their shared commitment to strengthening compliance with international law as reflected in the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
According to the US Embassy in Manila, the Philippines and the United States also stressed the importance of the 2016 arbitral award on the South China Sea.
The embassy said the Maritime Dialogue, first held in 2022, serves as a “platform to improve maritime policy and operational coordination between the United States and the Philippines.”
Members of the US and Philippine delegations at the third Philippines-US Maritime Dialogue discuss deepening bilateral coordination on maritime issues such as the Law of the Seas, law enforcement, climate change, and illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE US EMBASSY
The third Maritime Dialogue was 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 delegates reviewed ongoing cooperative efforts and discussed ways for the two sides to jointly address current challenges and shared maritime concerns, particularly in the South China Sea,” the US Embassy said.
It added that both sides also discussed deepening cooperation on maritime law enforcement, including capacity building of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), addressing the impact of climate change and sea level rise, and countering illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing or IUUF.
Participants included Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary for American Affairs Jose Victor Chan-Gonzaga, Department of Transportation Assistant Secretary for Maritime Julius Yano, Philippine National Security Council Assistant Director General Francis Jude Lauengco, Philippine Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Ronnie Gil Gavan, and US Department of State Deputy Assistant Secretary Brandon Yoder.
During the Maritime Dialogue, the US Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement announced P450 million ($8 million) in new funding for the modernization of the PCG.
The embassy said this funding would support the PCG’s infrastructure enhancements, training program development, and resource acquisition and management planning.
In April 2024, the US and Philippine governments decided to convene the Maritime Dialogue at the 11th Philippines-United States Bilateral Strategic Dialogue in Washington, D.C., “to build upon the outcomes of prior dialogues and exchanges,” the US embassy added.
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