BRP Teresa Magbanua to patrol WPS after Marpolex 2022

From the Philippine News Agency (May 18, 2022): BRP Teresa Magbanua to patrol WPS after Marpolex 2022 (By Raymond Carl Dela Cruz)

The BRP Teresa Magbanua. (Photo courtesy of PCG)

The newest vessel in the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) fleet, the BRP Teresa Magbanua, will be used to patrol the West Philippine Sea (WPS) once it returns from the Regional Marine Pollution Exercise (Marpolex) 2022 in Indonesia.

In a Laging Handa briefing on Wednesday, PCG Rear Admiral Bobby Patrimonio, commander of the PCG Marine Environmental Protection Command, said the vessel will be used in “sovereign patrol” and will boost the country’s maritime border security.

“[PCG] Admiral Artemio Abu ay nagbigay ng directives sa ating mga barko na magpatrolya ulit sa WPS, sa Benham Rise (Abu gave directives to our vessels to once again patrol the WPS, Benham Rise),” Patrimonio said.

In addition, he said BRP Teresa Magbanua will be ready to transport goods and people in the event of a maritime incident or any other disaster.

To date, BRP Teresa Magbanua and several other PCG vessels are in transit to Makassar, Indonesia to take part in the Marpolex 2022 to be held from May 22 to 29.

The PCG will be joined in the event by Indonesia’s Directorate General of Sea Transportation (DGST) and the Japan Coast Guard (JCG).

“Ang kahalagahan nito ay ang mapagtibay at paghandain iyong tauhan natin at saka iyong mga tauhan ng Indonesia in case of any transboundary oil spill (This is important in strengthening and ensuring the readiness of our and Indonesian personnel in case of any transboundary oil spill),” Patrimonio said.

He noted that both Indonesia and Japan helped the Philippines when MT Solar 1 sank off the coast of Guimaras in August 2006 and caused one of the worst oil spills in the country’s history.

Patrimonio added that the “interoperability” of PCG vessels will also be tested during the exercise.

On Monday, the PCG held a send-off ceremony for the BRP Teresa Magbanua before its voyage to the Marpolex 2022.

The vessel will be joined by the PCG’s BRP Gabriela Silang, BRP Malapascua, and BRP Cape Engaño in the exercise.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1174781