PH, US conduct 16th bilateral maritime cooperative activity in West PH Sea

MANILA — The Philippine Navy, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), and United States Navy sailed in the West Philippine Sea on Wednesday as part of the 16th bilateral maritime cooperative activity (MCA) between the Philippines and the United States.

The activity was led by the Philippine Navy’s BRP Miguel Malvar, alongside the PCG’s BRP Melchora Aquino and the US Navy’s USS Warrior.

The participating ships conducted a passing exercise, while an ABS-CBN News journalist joined the photo exercise aboard an AW-109 naval helicopter.

Lieutenant Commander Bryan Magura, Executive Officer of BRP Miguel Malvar, said the latest MCA focused on enhancing interoperability between Philippine and US forces, particularly in communication, coordination, and the conduct of joint operations.

He said the activity began with a harbor phase over the weekend, which included subject matter expert exchanges (SMEEs) focusing on maritime law enforcement and maritime domain awareness (MDA).

The activity then proceeded to the sea phase, featuring a series of exercises, including communications exercises, MDA activities, and division tactics or maneuvering exercises. 

The MCA comes amid heightened tensions in the West Philippine Sea following the obstruction of Chinese maritime forces of a medical evacuation mission at Ayungin Shoal, which President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. described as a possible new phase of escalation.

Asked how the exercises prepare the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for increasingly challenging maritime situations, Magura said the military remains committed to carrying out its duties professionally and in accordance with domestic and international law.

“We fully support ang pronouncement ng ating presidente. Sa Armed Forces of the Philippines, we continue to perform our job professionally and in accordance with the local laws and international laws,” he said.

“We always prepare for any eventualities. With guidance from the national leadership and the chain of command, we will be ready,” he added. 

Magura said the Navy continues to improve its existing procedures and doctrines following each MCA—whether bilateral or multilateral—incorporating lessons and best practices from its foreign counterparts.

“Every time na mag-conduct kami ng MCA, we improve kung ano ‘yung mga existing procedures na meron kami, ‘yung doctrines namin. We continually improve every time na mag-conduct kami ng MCA,” he explained. 

Magura added that these improvements are not limited to shipboard operations but also extend to command-and-control procedures at the general headquarters.

The latest MCA underscores continuing maritime cooperation between the Philippines and the United States as both countries work to strengthen operational coordination and support maritime security in the region.