The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime-Global Maritime Crime Programme (UNODC-GMCP) co-hosted the ASEAN Coast Guard Forum Technical Expert Group Meeting in Cebu City from 02 to 03 May 2023.

Four ASEAN member countries, including the Coast Guard and Maritime Law Enforcement Agencies of Indonesia (Indonesian Coast Guard), Singapore (Singapore Police Coast Guard), and PCG, attended the meeting, with Thailand joining virtually. 

The ASEAN Coast Forum Technical Expert Group Meeting facilitated the finalization of the Draft Concept Paper and Term of Reference as agreed upon during the ASEAN Coast Guard Commanders Meeting in Bali, Indonesia, in November 2022.

PCG Deputy Commandant for Administration, CG Vice Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan, graced the meeting.

During his keynote address, he urged everyone to develop platforms dedicated to ASEAN.

"When we conceptualized together the formation of this Forum a decade back, we had in mind that despite the presence of so many platforms developed to address the broad maritime security issues affecting our regions, we lacked a platform where ASEAN's centrality is at its core," CG Vice Admiral Gavan stated.

"This is what we have been hoping to put forward in the ASEAN Coast Guard Forum. We took note of the issues initially raised last time, but I would like to enjoin everyone to focus on finding the solutions to these issues. After all, our success as ASEAN lies in the ability to be united in dealing with the common issues affecting us together," he furthered.

On behalf of PCG Commandant, CG Admiral Artemio M Abu, CG Vice Admiral Gavan encouraged everyone to exert efforts in coming up with something more tangible than before in the lead to the conduct of the Heads of ASEAN Coast Guard in Jakarta in June 2023.

"With the facilitation done, I hope there can be no limit on the things that we can discuss. We cannot solve issues without being transparent in how we deal with others," the PCG Deputy Commandant for Administration expressed.

During the closing ceremony, UNODC - GMCP Southeast Asia and the Pacific Programme Coordinator, Mr. Shanaka Jayasekara, congratulated the PCG for successfully convening thE Expert Group Meeting of the ASEAN Coast Guard Forum.

"We, at UNODC -GMCP, are privileged to be part of this important initiative that is helping shape the landscape of maritime security and cooperation in the ASEAN region," Mr. Jayasekara said.

"The multifaceted nature of maritime issues and the ever-growing importance of our ocean space necessitates greater collaboration and increased capacity of concerned stakeholders," he concluded.

Before the meeting, Vietnam, Cambodia, Philippines, Indonesia, and Myanmar had already signed the Concept Paper and Term of Reference.