U.S.-PHL joint training enhances maritime law enforcement capabilities

U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) instructors have concluded four weeks of Advanced Boarding Officer Course training with Philippine maritime agencies, supporting U.S.-Philippine cooperation and enhancing maritime law enforcement capabilities.

The July 12-23 course focused on the Philippine Coast Guard, while the July 26-August 6 program included participants from the Philippine National Police – Maritime Group (PNP-MG) and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).  In total, 42 Philippine participants took part in the interagency training.

These Advanced Boarding Officer Courses capitalized on previous USCG courses, conducted over the past two years, by emphasizing more challenging scenarios and tactics for previous graduates of Basic Boarding Officer Courses and those with equivalent experience.  PNP-MG augmented USCG curriculum by delivering instruction on maritime enforcement principles, investigations, chain of custody, and supporting prosecutions while emphasizing the value of interagency cooperation.

Three PCG graduates of the July 12-23 event were retained as assistant instructors for the second training, demonstrating Philippine commitment and capability to manage more advanced training in the years ahead.  USCG looks forward to continued interagency activities with Philippine agencies as they cultivate and expand their training programs.