Philippines, Canada sign deal vs unidentified, illegal ships

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines has signed an arrangement with Canada on the use of the latter’s Dark Vessel Detection System (DVD) by the Philippine National Coast Watch Center (NCWC) against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing in the country’s exclusive economic zone.

The agreement, signed on the sidelines of the 6th Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation in Ottawa, Canada on Oct. 12, also aims to bolster maritime domain awareness, as Filipinos deal almost daily with Chinese bullying in the West Philippine Sea.

Ambassador to Canada Maria Andrelita Austria and Canadian Assistant Deputy Minister Adam Burns of the Programs Sector, Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), signed the arrangement.

The DVD System is a program used to counteract moves by some vessels to deliberately turn off their Automatic Identification System (AIS) to shield their illegal activities.

It utilizes layered multi-sensor satellite data from both commercial and government-owned satellite assets to provide near real-time satellite imagery.

It incorporates historical vessel information, environmental data and analytics to support and facilitate analysis.

The system will be jointly managed by the NCWC and Canada’s DFO.

In the face of China’s latest act of harassment in the West Philippine Sea on Friday, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) reminded the Philippine Navy to be “firm and strong in protecting our people and what belongs to them.”

The AFP said the Chinese navy’s irresponsible behavior is further destroying China’s image before the international community, which has generally acknowledged the Philippines’ position on the South China Sea issue.

AFP spokesman Col. Medel Aguilar said the Oct. 13 rotation and resupply mission for troops on the Rizal Reef Station near Pag-asa Island was completed despite dangerous maneuvers by the Chinese targeting the BRP Benguet.

“Such actions show how they disrespect international laws and conventions and reveal their blatant disregard for the well-being of other people’s lives,” Aguilar said.

In a radio challenge, the BRP Benguet called the attention of the Chinese to their clear violation of the Collision Regulations and