MANILA: The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) conducted boarding exercises on Monday as part of the 'Vessel Board, Search, and Seizure (VBSS)' course in Port Area, Manila. In a statement on Tuesday, course director Lieutenant Commander Mark Jefferson Mangoyob said the course includes a simulation and a series of lectures on conducting boarding operations on vessels suspected of illegal activities. 'By simulating real-life scenarios, they become adept in handling various situations at sea, thereby contributing to the maintenance and promotion of maritime security and safety,' Mangoyob said. Boarding vessels, he said, are also conducted by PCG personnel to ensure a ship's compliance with maritime regulations. 'With this, the Command will continue to equip and capacitate its personnel with necessary knowledge and skills to make them competent and qualified frontline service providers,' he said. From June 24 to 29, the PCG also joined the Regional Marine Pollution Exercise (MARPOLEX) 2024 along with the coast gua rds of Indonesia and Japan. During the event, the three coast guards trained in executing swift emergency responses focusing on search and rescue, firefighting, oil spill recovery, equipment retrieval, and damage assessment. Source: Philippines News Agency