The Filipino delegation was led by Colonel Camilo F Balutan, Commander of the Marine Operations of Naval Forces West, the Philippine Navy. The Vietnamese delegation was headed by Senior Colonel Nguyen Viet Thuan, Deputy Commander of Naval Region 4.
Two teams from Vietnamese and Philippine navies joining a volleyball game
Fifty Vietnamese representatives and 41 Filipino representatives participated in the one-day exchange with art performances and a number of sports activities such as football, volleyball, and tug of war.
The exchange aimed to build up mutual trust and strengthen cooperation between the two armed forces and navies, contributing to effectively implementing the Memorandum of Understanding between the two navies on bilateral cooperation and information sharing.
In his opening speech, Senior Colonel Thuan stressed that the exchange showed the two sides’ aspirations and willingness to build a stable peaceful environment in the Spratly (Truong Sa) Islands in particular and the East Sea (South China Sea) in general. The activity also demonstrated the responsibility of the navies for their serious implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC).
During the exchange, the two sides also shared information related to search and rescue work, maritime security, and natural disaster warning, and discussed the agenda for the next exchange on Song Tu Dong Island.
Over the past year, maritime security and safety in the area of Song Tu Tay and Song Tu Dong islands has been maintained stably, but there still remain risks such as accidents for ships and natural disasters. Therefore, preparedness and readiness to deal with the above issues are really necessary and need coordination between the two sides.
From May 2015 to May 2017, the Vietnamese Navy successfully rescued 151 fishermen, including one Filipino fisherman, rescued 119 people adrift at sea, and towed 16 troubled ships.
Expressing appreciation to the help of the Vietnamese navy, a Filipino naval representative said that the exchange was an opportunity to exchange and share experiences and information and to enhance coordination to respond in time to risks at sea.
The Filipino side agreed with the Vietnamese side’s proposal on the establishment of communications mechanisms between the two sides to boost information exchange via the communications channel between the two Naval Commands and via flag and light signaling between the two islands.
Translated by Thuy Duong