The Philippine Border Committee and its Indonesian counterpart will increase sea patrols next year to boost maritime border security ties.
The increased sea patrols form part of the 12-point agenda proposed by the two Southeast Asian nations in November, seeking to enhance diplomatic relations and joint implementation of the 1975 border crossing and border patrol agreements.
The countries have agreed to conduct four coordinated patrols annually, The Philippine Star reported.
The Philippine committee also revised the standard operating procedures for coordinated patrols.
“Expect that we will increase the frequency of conducting patrols to once a month to do our part, especially in cases of shipwreck due to calamities and typhoons, and to address the concerns of our fishermen who are in those areas,” Philippine Border Committee Chairperson Greg Almerol said.
Navy officials announced the conclusion of the annual Coordinated Patrol Philippines-Indonesia (Corpat Phil-Indo) mission in Davao City, 1,484 kilometers (922 miles) south of Manila.
‘Securing Maritime Borders’
The Corpat Phil-Indo is a joint maritime exercise between the Philippine and Indonesian Navies to enhance interoperability and border security between the neighboring countries against piracy, illegal crossing, and other criminal activities.
This year, the Corpat held exercises in March, July, October, and December.
The final leg completed maritime security patrols in a total of 47 hours and 51 minutes, covering 515 nautical miles (954 kilometers/593 miles).
“We hope this cooperation becomes stronger and develops a necessary means of our security and friendship for years to come,” Indonesian Border Committee Chair Dr. TSNB Hutabarat MMS said.