3-day MARCAPEX set in Davao City

DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 17 Nov) — The three-day Inter-Agency Maritime Capability Exercise (MARCAPEX 2024) will be conducted here from November 21 to 23 to enhance response strategies and maritime security across Davao Region.

Lt. Commander Angel Tobias, chief of staff of the Coast Guard District Southeastern Mindanao (CGDSM), told MindaNews that the exercise will be participated by personnel from the different law enforcement units of the government.

She said air assets of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) will be flown to Davao from Manila in time for the MARCAPEX.

Activities will include seminars on boarding procedure, radiotelephony, oil spill response, and search and rescue on day 1 and communication and table top exercises on day 2, which will be conducted at the Maalab Hall of CGDSM’s headquarters in Sasa, this city.

The exercise proper will commence on Day 3, which will consist of maritime law enforcement exercise (Marlex), firefighting, search and rescue exercise (Sarex), oil spill recovery operation, equipment recovery operation, and passing exercise (Passex), which will be held at the coast off Toril District, this city, Tobias said.

The staging of MARCAPEX 2024 is part of the PCG’s efforts to strengthen the country’s maritime defense and operations.

Government agencies participating in the exercise include the Philippine National Police, Philippine Navy, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, Bureau of Customs, Davao City Central 911, Philippine Red Cross, Office of Civil Defense, Davao City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, and CGDSM. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)