PRESS RELEASE NO. 78-2023
30 June 2023, Honolulu – Consul General Emil Fernandez (center) attended yesterday the commencement ceremony of the Comprehensive Security Cooperation (CSC) Course 2023-2, organized by the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (DKI APCSS) in Honolulu. Of the 107 participants were 5 fellows from the Philippines, namely Atty. Eleanor Rachel Marfil Angeles and Mr. Manuel Antonio Eduarte of the National Bureau of Investigation, Commodore Rejard Villegas Marfe of the Philippine Coast Guard, Captain Gaylord Hagada Santos of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and Ms. Welfe Cara Veras of the Department of National Defense. Also shown in the photo is Captain Aldrin Doctor, AFP Liaison Officer to USINDOPACOM.
Among the social activities during the course was “Taste of the World,” where fellows performed traditional dances and shared culinary treats from their respective countries. To the crowd’s delight, the Filipino participants danced the Pandanggo sa Ilaw and prepared the country’s most popular dishes including balut, a delicacy of steamed incubated duck egg.
Mr. Peter Gumataotao (2nd from left), Director of DKI APCSS, sampled the traditional food prepared by the Philippine fellows of the CSC 23-2 course. He is flanked by Mr. Eduarte of the NBI (leftmost), Consul Pamela Durian-Bailon (2nd from right), and Ms. Veras of the DND (rightmost).
The 5-week CSC course is designed “to develop mutual understanding of the Indo-Pacific region’s most compelling security problems and empower cooperative attempts to address them.” DKI-APCSS is a U.S. Department of Defense executive education and outreach institute officially established in September 1995 in Honolulu that “provides a focal point where military and diplomatic leaders, among others, gather to exchange ideas and explore the diverse and complex security challenges in the Indo-Pacific region.” (END)
