The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the United States Coast Guard (USCG) conducted a joint search and rescue exercise 40 miles off Luzon Point in Mariveles, Bataan.

There were also a series of sea-phase demonstrations to conclude the port visit of USCG Cutter Midgett, which arrived in Manila on August 30.

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.

During the second day of the joint exercise, the PCG's 83-meter offshore patrol vessel, BRP Gabriela Silang, responded to a distress call from a simulated cargo vessel, BRP Melchora Aquino.

USCGC Midgett, transiting in the vicinity, was requested to render assistance.

Moreover, BRP Gabriela Silang deployed its rigid-hulled inflatable boat (RHIB) to rescue the remaining survivors out of the water and turn them over for medical assessment.

While underway, participating PCG vessels also performed their regular anti-piracy exercise.

Two teams of the PCG's Law Enforcement Afloat Detachment (LEAD) enacted evidence preservation, investigation, and case build-up to establish the offenders' orderly prosecution and conviction.

According to PCG Commandant Admiral Artemio Abu, piracy is a high sea and universal crime where cooperation among Coast Guard counterparts is crucial to achieving success.

Members of the PCG LEAD teams trained with the help of the USCG, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), and the Japan Coast Guard (JCG) to ensure the proper execution of visit, board, search, and seizure (VBSS) during anti-piracy operations.

During the arrival of the USCG Cutter Midgett, Coast Guard Fleet Commander, Rear Admiral Charlie Rances said the PCG-USCG joint SAR exercise aimed to address maritime safety challenges by assessing the PCG's and USCG's capabilities for information exchange and interoperability at sea among participating units, surface, and air assets.

For her part, US Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson, stated the mission also intended to contribute toward attaining a connected, open, and secure Indo-Pacific.

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. PCG