MANILA, Philippines (06 August 2019). – The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) today rendered an arrival honor for Rear Admiral (RADM) Lee Goddard Conspicuous Service Cross, Australian Navy, Commander of Australian Maritime Border Command as he paid an official visit and courtesy call to the PCG Commandant Admiral Elson E Hermogino at the national headquarters in Manila.

RADM Goddard was accompanied by Commander Chris Waters, Minister Counselor, Southeast Asia of the Department of Home Affairs and Inspector William Temperley, First Secretary of Australian Embassy.

During the visit, both parties discussed the shared maritime security interest to strengthen the bilateral relationship on civil maritime security cooperation and security issues on maritime security activities including the perspective of grey zone tactics and illegal unreported and unregulated fishing (IUUF) activities.

Sideboys honors was also rendered by the BRP Batangas search and rescue vessel (SARV- 004) crew to RADM Goddard as he visited one of the Tenix-Built vessel made in Australia which was commissioned to the PCG service in August 2003.

At present, PCG records a total of 124 graduates from various offered short courses by Australia related to maritime safety, port state control, maritime security, basic medical courses, basic aviation maintenance courses, shipboard courses, human resource development courses, law of the sea courses, search and rescue, small craft handling and operation and postgraduate courses such as Master of Maritime Policy in University of Wollonggong since year 2000.