THE Philippine Navy, through Naval Forces Western Mindanao (NFWM), is participating in the 10-day Southeast Asian Cooperation and Training (Seacat) Exercise in Sulu Sea within the area of operations of NFWM.

Lieutenant Senior Grade Chester Ross Cabaltera, NFWM information officer, said Wednesday, August 17, that the training is being participated by 20 other Southeast Asian countries.

The 10-day training exercise includes various phases and events that will occur in the maritime areas and boundaries of the participating countries.

Cabaltera said that the exercise was launched Tuesday, August 16, at the Voco Hotel in Singapore with officials from the United States Navy and other participating foreign navies in attendance. The training ends on August 26.

Seacat Exercise is a scenario-driven multilateral exercise that focuses on real-time information exchange, coordinated surveillance operations, tracking operations, and Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure (VBSS) exercises undertaken on a controlled Vessel of Interest (VOI).

Aside from the sea events, other shore activities include Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) Seminar, Command Post Exercise (CPX), VBSS Workshop, and Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Workshop, all to be held in Singapore.

“This multilateral Exercise will enhance the cooperation among the Philippines and Southeast Asian countries to address crises, contingencies, and illegal activities in the maritime domain using standard tactics, techniques, and procedures,” said Rear Admiral Toribio Adaci Jr., commander of NFWM.

This year's Seacat Exercise is participated in by BRP-Andres Bonifacio (PS17), one of the PN's three Weather High Endurance Cutter (WHEC)—type warships, an AW-109 naval helicopter, Littoral Monitoring Stations situated in the Tawi-Tawi, Sulu, and Basilan areas, and Seal teams from NFWM. (SunStar Zamboanga)