Bacolod City—A “no sail zone” has been declared in the seawaters of the southernmost localities in Negros Island due to the eight-day joint naval military exercises between the Philippines, United States, and Australia until Oct. 18.
Affected areas are Basay City in Negros Oriental as well as Hinoba-an town and Sipalay City in Negros Occidental.
On Thursday, the Coast Guard Station Southern Negros Occidental issued an advisory, after Mayor Daph Anthony Reliquias of Hinoba-an also informed residents about the activities on Wednesday.
“All fishermen are advised to take precautionary measures for the activities that will be held six nautical miles southwest of Sipalay,” the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said.
According to the Regional Maritime Unit-Central Visayas, live fire activities will be performed within a total of 62 square miles, and it also advised communities to obey the “no sail zone” area during the simulation exercises.
In a report, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said chief of staff Lt. Gen. Bartolome Vicente Bacarro led the opening ceremony of the first-ever simultaneous Maritime Training Activity (MTA) “SAMA-SAMA” and “LUMBAS”, at the Naval Forces Central in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu on Tuesday.
MTA “SAMA-SAMA” is between the Philippines and the United States while “LUMBAS” is between the Philippines and Australia.
Ranking Filipino and American Marines officials meanwhile vowed to address critical issues in terms of interoperability between the two services.
This came as United States 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) and Marine Forces Japan head Lt. Gen. James Bierman paid a courtesy visit at the Philippine Navy (PN) headquarters at Naval Station Jose Andrada, Roxas Boulevard, Manila on Wednesday.
Bierman was received by the Naval Inspector General, Maj. Gen. Jonas Lumawag, who represented acting PN flag-officer-in-command Rear Adm. Caesar Bernard Valencia.
“The two Marine generals had a forward-looking discussion on the future of exercises between the Fleet and Marine forces of the two allied nations,” PN spokesperson Commander Benjo Negranza said Wednesday night.
“In the end, the two leaders vowed to address and overcome tough challenges in terms of interoperability as both forces continue to work together toward peace and stability in the region,” he added.
During the meeting, Bierman urged his Filipino counterpart to determine important areas that need to be included in the conduct of future training and exercises as the US is “working very hard on more naval interoperability between the Navy and the Marine Corps.”
Meanwhile, Lumawag identified trainings related to cyberspace and territorial defense operations as critical capabilities that need to be focused on and developed, including having more exercises “up north and down south” of the country.