Manila — As part of the continuing partnership between the United States and the Philippines to secure maritime borders and facilitate trade, U.S. Embassy Manila coordinated a program between the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) and the Philippines Coast Guard (PCG). Personnel from the USCG conducted training with their PCG counterparts in Cebu and Iloilo from January 12 to February 6.  Twenty-seven PCG officers and staff participated in an outboard motor maintenance course designed to keep PCG vessels operating at peak performance.

  Funding for these training sessions was provided by the U.S. Department of State’s Export Control and Related Border Security (EXBS) Program, which is also supporting a planned USCG/PCG training on small boat operations in May.  In addition, EXBS plans to fund several PCG officers and staff to participate in training courses this year at the USCG Academy. 

  The EXBS Program is designed to help countries develop and improve their strategic trade and related border control systems.  EXBS provides a wide range of technical assistance, from executive exchanges to training workshops to the provision of detection equipment and specialized training for border control and enforcement agencies.  In the Philippines, EXBS invests some $600,000 (PHP 26,439,300) annually to support a wide range of activities with Philippine partners.