The Philippines has donated USD30,000 or approximately PHP1.7 million to help fund the various technical cooperation training conducted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Tuesday.

Philippine Permanent Representative to the IMO Teodoro Locsin Jr. presented the donation to Secretary-General Kitack Lim at the IMO Headquarters in London on Oct. 20.

The assistance will be used to fund training relating to maritime security and safety, such as maritime casualty investigation or anti-piracy workshops and prevention and control of maritime pollution, the DFA said.

“Intended beneficiaries of the training will be personnel from relevant government agencies of the Philippines, as well as government personnel from other interested countries,” it said.

The donation was coursed through the Integrated Technical Cooperation Programme (ITCP) of IMO Technical Cooperation Committee (TCC).

The TCC oversees IMO’s capacity-building program and the implementation of technical cooperation projects for which the organization acts as the executing or cooperating agency.

The TCC ensures that IMO supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The donation came weeks after the Philippines announced its bid for a seat in the IMO Council.

During a diplomatic reception for the country’s candidature to the IMO Council earlier this month, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said the Philippines can sustain various technical cooperation projects and allow the country to implement state administration responsibilities.

“A seat at the council is rooted at our being the preferred choice of seafarers in the global crew manning market as well as being the fifth largest shipbuilding nation,” he said. (PNA)