(Photo courtesy of Naval Public Affairs Office) MANILA - The commitment to a rules-based order and partnerships between countries are among the key points discused in the recently-concluded 17th Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS) which was virtually hosted by the Philippine Navy (PN) for the first time from October 26 to 27. In a statement Thursday, PN chief, Vice Adm. Adeluis Bordado, who chaired the entire proceedings, said other key issues discussed include convergence of interests and steadfastness in approaches and strategies. "(With) these, I can say that the agenda and objectives set for this year's symposium have been substantively discussed and fulfilled. I hope that the commitments during the past two days will be converted into concrete and visible initiatives so that we can better foster effective ocean governance for regional partnership and stability in the Western Pacific region," he added. The WPNS is a series of biennial meetings of the Pacific nation
MANILA - The Philippine Navy (PN) will host the 17th Western Pacific Naval Symposium virtually due to the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic from October 26 to 27. This year's iteration of the WPNS' theme is "Effective Ocean Governance for Regional Partnership and Stability". "20 WPNS members and eight WPNS observers represented by their chiefs of navies or designated representatives from countries within and bordering the Pacific Region will converge to discuss and address naval matters of mutual concern, with PN flag-officer-in-command, Vice Adm. Adeluis Bordado, as the chair of the entire proceedings," Navy spokesperson Commander Benjo Negranza said in a statement on Wednesday night. The WPNS is a series of biennial meetings of the Pacific nations held on even-numbered years. The Philippines was supposed to host the event in May last year but it was put on hold due to the pandemic. "The PN's hosting of this international symposi