By Priam Nepomuceno
MANILA – Units of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) held another bilateral maritime cooperative activity (MCA) in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
In a statement Thursday, the Philippine military said the MCA held on Wednesday aims to enhance cooperation and interoperability between the two forces in maintaining regional peace and stability in WPS, as well as good order at sea in accordance with international law.
This is the seventh MCA between the Philippines and the US since November 2023.
“A highlight of this iteration was the fire support rehearsal involving the US 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment (3MLR) based in Subic. This serial tested joint coordination in a littoral combat environment, integrating forward observers, command and control elements, and fire support platforms for a smooth maritime operational effectiveness,” the AFP added.
The seventh MCA also marked a milestone for the Philippine Navy’s latest guided missile frigate, the BRP Miguel Malvar (FFG-06), which joined the activity.
This is the BRP Miguel Malvar’s first operational deployment since it was commissioned on May 20.
“The mission provided a valuable opportunity to evaluate the ship’s performance in a multilateral environment and assess its readiness to operate alongside its partner nation, reaffirming its vital role in enhancing the AFP’s maritime capabilities,” it added.
Beyond defense training, the MCA also supports broader objectives, including capacity building and humanitarian assistance and disaster response preparedness, with the participation from the Philippine Air Force search-and-rescue W-3A “Sokol” helicopter and the Philippine Coast Guard’s BRP Cabra (MRRV-4409). (PNA)
