THE COAST Guard District Southeastern Mindanao will conduct a Maritime Capability Exercise (Marcapex) in Davao City waters from Nov. 21 to 23, 2024.
During the Davao Peace and Security Press Corps media briefing at The Royal Mandaya Hotel on Wednesday, Nov. 20, Coast Guard Davao City Deputy Station commander Ensign Winston Gonzales said Marcapex aims to strengthen coordination with other security agencies in monitoring and responding to emergencies.
“We are preparing for the interagency maritime capability exercises 2024 wherein it is timely that the city will be conducting a year-end celebration, which is Pasko Fiesta,” Gonzales said.
“Our aim in this exercise is to show the security capability together with the counterparts NFEM, 10ID, Task Force Davao, and other local responders and national security agencies so basically it will commence firmly on the 21st November, our opening ceremony at our headquarters in Sasa,” he said.
While, the simulation proper will be on Nov. 23 from DPWH Panacan going to the exercise area in the vicinity waters in Daliao, Toril.
According to Gonzales, they will simulate various scenarios at sea and practice responding alongside other security forces in the city.
“Will also show our capacity together with our counterparts, in terms of search and rescue operations, law enforcement operations, especially in our maritime sector of the coast guard with the NFEM [Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao] which is the vessel boarding search and seizure search and rescue operation.
Gonzales said there would be a scenario where a vessel is hijacked going to the city. “While onboard that ship, apparently they are carrying explosives that what they bring will cause big chaos and have a big impact in the city. And with that, before they can reach the ports in our city, we already intercepted them at the vicinity waters upon receiving an A1 information from the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency XI.”
“So that’s how important our coordination and our intelligence gathering is. We are ready but we are working out how to coordinate and communicate with one another in order for us to attain one goal,” he added.
The Coast Guard officer added there will also be a maritime pollution exercise. Whenever there is an oil spill emergency in Davao, we are ready to respond and equip ourselves to contain this possible oil spill that might have in our city.
“For now we are looking forward together with our counterparts that our activity will be successful in support also with the so-called safety and security in Davao City,” he further said.
The Marcapex is also part of the city’s “Culture of Security” campaign, which emphasizes the importance of everyone contributing to maintaining safety and order.
Photo by Bing Gonzales
