Pulse of the Maritime Environment

The Coast Guard today, as a seagoing agency, is faced with the enormous task to perform the multifarious functions of safeguarding the country’s vital sea-lanes from maritime lawlessness, preserving its marine resources and promoting Safety of Life and Property at Sea with its limited resources.

In the accomplishment of this mission, the PCG performed various activities categorized under the five functional areas, namely:

Maritime Safety Administration (MARSAD)

Maritime Search and Rescue (MARSAR)

Marine Environmental Protection (MAREP)

Maritime Law Enforcement (MARLEN), and

Maritime Operations (MAROPS).

The Maritime Safety Administration function of the PCG is to ensure the seaworthiness of the vessels plying the waters through the conduct of Port State Control inspection of foreign vessel, among others.

It also enforces the vessel safety regulatory standards on domestic vessels through the conduct of Flag State control inspections, Emergency Readiness Evaluations, Mandatory Pre-Departure Inspections, SOLAS Equipment Inspections and the accreditation of suppliers and manufacturers of SOLAS appliances.

It also ensures navigational safety through the development, establishment, maintenance and operation of Aids to Navigation.

The PCG also establishes navigational rules and traffic separation schemes; regulates the construction of bridges and structures over navigable waterways; supervises salvage operations; regulates regattas and marine parades and conducts inspection of maritime training schools as member of the Maritime Training Council.

On Maritime Search and Rescue, the PCG maintains a 24-hour distress monitoring, response and relief activities in aid of persons or vessels in distress at sea.

The Command obtains information about the distress or incident then disseminates it to nearby units capable of providing initial assistance, and immediately launches its own search and rescue operations.

On Marine Environmental Protection, the PCG, as mandated by PD. 600 and PD. 601 as amended by PD 979 is the sole agency responsible for maritime oil pollution prevention, mitigation and control through the conduct of marine pollution monitoring and control, operation and the enhancement of PCG capability in oil spill response operations and enforcement of all applicable marine environmental laws and regulations.

On Maritime Law Enforcement functions, the PCG being a maritime law enforcement functions particularly on anti-smuggling, anti-piracy, illegal fishing, illegal entry, illegal logging, laws on dangerous drugs and other applicable laws as stipulated in the Memorandum Of Agreement among the 21 other government agencies.

On Maritime Operations, the PCG performs maritime security operations to protect our ports, harbors and coastal waters and exercises control of shipping, maritime communications and strategic port facilities in time of emergency.

Another significant functions under maritime operations is the enhancement of community affairs activities, particularly through the development and involvement of the 19,000-strong Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary and Sea Scouts.

The PCG’s area of responsibility covers a maritime area of 2,795,962 sq km, a stretch of 35,000 km of coastlines, which is twice longer than that of the United States, 7,107 islands and with a large portion of the populace that relies heavily on maritime commerce. More than a million vessels of various types traverse the Philippine seas annually while 98 percent of domestic trade depends on sea transport. Despite limited manpower, the PCG was able to perform its mandated functions.

JUST LIKE THE COAST GUARDS OF OTHER COUNTRIES, THE PCG IS LIKEWISE BEING DEVELOPED TO TAKE ACTIVE ROLE AS LEAD AGENCY IN THE CONDUCT OF MARITIME SECURITY. THIS IS TO ENABLE THE PCG TO EFFECTIVELY IMPLEMENT THE ISPS CODE BEGINNING JUNE 2004.