The Philippine Navy and other law enforcement agencies will conduct maritime drills off waters in Mactan Island, the Naval Forces Central Philippines (NAVFORCEN) said on Friday.

The six-day Exercise Bantay Kadagatan 2024 is set from June 25 to July 1, Lt. Bernabe Jay Zambale Jr., public affairs officer of NAVFORCEN, said.

Zambale said five law enforcement agencies – Philippine Coast Guard-7, Bureau of Customs-Port of Cebu, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-7, Bureau of Fishery and Aquatic Resources-7, and Lapu-Lapu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office– will join the exercise.

He said the exercise is aimed at enhancing interoperability and strengthening coordination among all participating agencies to effectively address maritime security challenges within Visayas Command’s (VisCom) joint operational area.

The activity would comprise four phases that include a pre-exercise where participants will ensure the logistical requirements of the activity and the shore phase where the opening ceremony, briefing, and table-top exercises will be held.

During the sea phase, sortie out, division tactics, as well as high-risk visit board search and seizure, search and rescue, and oil spill response, will be conducted.

The drills will culminate with the post-exercise phase where the participants will indulge in critiquing sessions. (PNA)