The Philippines and Vietnam are set to sign a maritime cooperation agreement during the visit of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Hanoi this month, the spokesperson of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said Tuesday.

Rear Admiral Armando Balilo said the proposed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which the PCG and the Vietnam Coast Guard (VCG) have been working on since 2018 was discussed during the visit of Republic of Vietnam's Standing Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu at the PCG headquarters in Manila on Tuesday.

During the visit in Manila, the Vietnamese delegation together with Vietnam's Ambassador to the Philippines, Lai Thai Binh, and other representatives from the Vietnam Embassy in the Philippines was welcomed by the PCG Deputy Commandant for Administration, Vice Admiral Allan Victor Dela Vega.

"The MOU aims to enhance the strategic partnership and cooperation between the PCG and VCG toward the promotion, preservation, and protection of their mutual interest in the Southeast Asian region," he said.

Balilo said the PCG also "provided the Vietnamese delegation with a comprehensive briefing on its current engagement and maritime security operations in the West Philippine Sea (WPS)".

Aside from Dela Vega, and Balilo "Chief of Coast Guard Staff, Rear Admiral Hostillo Arturo Cornelio; Deputy Chief of Coast Guard Staff for International Affairs, Commodore Algier Ricafrente; and other PCG central staff were also present during the meeting." Robina Asido/DMS