Press Release

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) announced it will continue to support beefing up Filipino personnel in the maritime sector, particularly the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) as the country celebrates the Maritime and Archipelagic Nation Awareness Month this September.

Citing the role of maritime personnel in maritime safety and security, the Japan Coast Guard (JCG) has been accepting staff from maritime organizations in Asia to promote mutual understanding and cooperation. Filipino scholars from PCG and MARINA participated in the recent courtesy meeting of the members of the JCG with Japan Prime Minister SUGA Yoshihide.

Representing her class of fellow scholars was Noemi Cayabyab, a PCG commander and a scholar under the JICA Knowledge Co-Creation Program (KCCP) Group and Region Focus (GRF) Degree Program. Cayabyab, along with Jeremiah Perez, an Engineer from MARINA, are scholars pursuing their Master's degree in Maritime Safety and Security Policy in the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) in Japan. Their program is designed to prepare policymaking specialists in the field of maritime safety and security by providing training and education that utilizes the expertise of GRIPS and JCG.

Cayabyab and Perez joined other scholars from Thailand and Sri Lanka that paid a courtesy call to the Prime Minister. "Through the class lectures, we have become able to contribute to providing legal solutions to problems that occur at sea," said Cayabyab.

Prime Minister SUGA encouraged the scholars to contribute to peace security and development in the region with the fundamental values of a free and open order based on the rule of law.

JICA has been supporting the Philippine maritime sector mainly in strengthening its maritime security and law enforcement capability. Aside from capacity building, JICA also provided PCG with maritime communication systems, radars, vessel traffic management system, and multi-role response vessels (MRRVs) to help build up the country's maritime fleet.

See photos of the courtesy meeting as shared by the Office of the Prime Minister of Japan in this link: https://www.kantei.go.jp/jp/99_suga/actions/202108/30hyokei.html (external link)

To know more about JICA's offered training programs, kindly visit this link:

• https://www.jica.go.jp/philippine/english/activities/activity_01_05.html