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VP Kamala: Philippine visit shows US mindful of communities' needs
By LLANESCA T. PANTI,GMA Integrated NewsPUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan—US Vice President Kamala Harris said her three-day visit to the Philippines marked by turnover of Washington's health and maritime assistance and talk with various sectors showed the US government's aid is attuned to what the communities need.
"Today has been important to be here in Palawan, a place where generations of families and individuals have invested in the fisheries that are here," Harris told reporters before leaving the Philippines Tuesday.
She said the families and individuals have demonstrated an incredible strength in terms of building community, coalitions around the industries that are dependent on fisheries to stand up and speak out about sustainable fishing and about the importance of speaking up against illegal activities as it relates to maritime law.
Harris visited the fishing village of Tagburos ahead of her engagement with the Philippine Coast Guard to check on the progress of the US government’s Fish Right project which helps the community fight illegal and unregulated fishing.
"So, it has been important for us, as the United States, to demonstrate our commitment to the Philippines as a whole but understanding also the nuances and complexities that the people of the Philippines face when it comes to not only what we need to do to ensure security and prosperity for the region, but also what we must do to address the climate crisis, be smart about that [as we] highlight examples and models of how we can empower communities, and also speak about the importance of recognizing where this island, in particular, exists in the context of the South China Sea. So, it has been a good trip for that reason," she said.
Harris made the evaluation after her speech on board BRP Teresa Magbanuna where she was flanked by Philippine Coast Guard personnel as she called on nations to respect
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The PCG is the frontline responder during instances of intimidation and aggression from foreign vessels, mostly from China, in the West Philippine Sea.
Harris was the highest ranking US government official to visit Palawan province.
During Harris’ Philippine visit, the US Embassy in Manila announced that Washington will be providing $7.5 million in additional assistance to enhance capabilities of Philippine maritime law enforcement agencies to counter illegal fishing, improve maritime domain awareness and provide search and rescue support, including in the South China Sea.
It also said that the US Trade and Development Agency, pending congressional notification, will provide aid for PCG in terms of upgrading and expanding its vessel traffic management system (VTMS) for improved maritime safety and environmental monitoring.
“As a nation comprising over 7,000 islands and growing vessel activity, the Philippines needs to expand its VTMS capabilities to cover major ports and navigation paths. This support will help develop a comprehensive VTMS for major ports in the Philippines to enable improved maritime safety, search and rescue operations and environmental monitoring,” the US Embassy said.
A day before Harris' Palawan visit, Coast Guard Lieutenant Gretch Mary Acuario of Coast Guard District Palawan said a stronger partnership with the United States is necessary to keep the PCG well-equipped with an advanced level of training and furnished with other tactical strategies needed to fulfill its mandate.—AOL, GMA Integrated News