PH, US, Japan boost interoperability with another WPS drill
Philippine News Agency
By Darryl John Esguerra
November 16, 2025, 1:44 pm
MANILA -- The Philippines, United States (US) and Japan conducted another round of maritime drills in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), underscoring deepening security cooperation.
The 13th Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity (MMCA), and the eighth held this year, on Friday and Saturday brought together major assets from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), US Indo-Pacific Command, and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, according to a news release.
The AFP deployed its two missile-capable frigates, BRP Jose Rizal (FF150) and BRP Antonio Luna (FF151), along with an AW159 helicopter.
The US sent the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group, led by the USS Nimitz (CVN 68), while Japan fielded JS Akebono (DD-108) and a SH-60K Seahawk.
The Philippine Coast Guard's BRP Melchora Aquino and BRP Cape San Agustin also supported the mission, enhancing maritime domain awareness in the WPS.
The AFP said the exercise featured a full suite of interoperability drills: Communications checks, resupply-at-sea approaches, anti-submarine exercises, maritime domain awareness reporting, cross-deck helicopter landings, formation maneuvers, and final integrated exercise.
The AFP said the sustained MMCA series "reflects its commitment to safeguarding the nation's sovereign rights and advancing collective defense readiness with trusted partners," especially amid continued Chinese harassment of Philippine vessels.
The Marcos administration has taken a firmer stance in the WPS, expanding joint patrols, filing more diplomatic protests, and pushing transparency by publicly releasing videos of Chinese maneuvers against Philippine ships.
Chinese vessels continuously engage in laser-pointing, dangerous blocking maneuvers and ramming of PCG and supply boats en route to Ayungin Shoal, actions Manila has denounced as violations of international law.
China is claiming virtually the entire South China Sea, including maritime territories and features within the WPS that are within the Philippine exclusive economic zone.
A 2016 arbitral ruling has invalidated China's expansive claims but Beijing refused to honor it.
The trilateral drills follow the historic PH-US-Japan leaders' summit in April, where the three countries pledged deeper maritime cooperation, more joint patrols, and expanded defense coordination.
The AFP noted that more maritime activities with partners are expected as the Philippines continues to modernize its fleet and reinforce its presence in the WPS. (With a report from Priam Nepomuceno/PNA)
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