The Armed Forces of the Philippines said the United States deployed a carrier strike group to the West Philippine Sea for the first Maritime Cooperative Activity (MCA) of 2025 with Filipino forces.
The MCA with the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) took place in Palawan from January 17 to January 18, the military said.
Participating forces from the Philippines included the guided missile frigate BRP Antonio Luna (FF151); offshore patrol vessel BRP Andres Bonifacio (PS17); 2 FA50 fighter aircraft; and Philippine Air Force Search and Rescue (SAR) assets.
From the United States, participants included the USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) aircraft carrier strike group; the guided missile cruiser USS Princeton (CG-59); the destroyer USS Sterett (DDG-104); an MH-60 Seahawk helicopter; and V-22 Osprey helicopter; and 2 F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter bombers.
The exercises included communications, division tactics, and combat training.
The US Navy said the recently concluded exercises demonstrate a “collective commitment to strengthening regional and international cooperation in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific.”
The US Navy said these MCAs comply with international law and consider the safety of navigation as well as the rights and interests of other nations.
The bilateral maritime cooperative exercise took place in the presence of China’s “monster ship” 60 to 70 nautical miles off the coast of Zambales.
Earlier, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) issued another radio challenge on Saturday to China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel 5901, known as the “monster ship,” which has been operating unlawfully off the Zambales coastline.
As this developed, the government is spending an additional P3 billion to keep its infrastructure buildup in the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG), located in the northeastern section of the disputed Spratly archipelago, according to Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel.
“Congress has earmarked an additional P1.65 billion to develop the Pag-asa Island airport, plus P300 million for the (Pag-asa) shelter port,” he said in a statement on Sunday. “We have also allocated an extra P1.08 billion to construct the second phase of the Lawak Island shelter port.”
Pimentel said the three projects are fully itemized in the 2025 General Appropriations Law.
Pimentel is the author of a bill that seeks to transform Pag-asa into a recreational fishing tourism destination, and a separate bill proposing an initial P5-billion appropriation to build new naval forward operating bases in the West Philippine Sea.
The projects are primarily to secure the natural gas and oil deposits beneath the seabed of the WPS.
Pag-asa Island lies 508 kilometers northwest of Puerto Princesa City. It has a land area of 37.2 hectares, the largest island in the KIG. Lawak Island has a land area of 7.93 hectares and is the fourth-largest island in the KIG. It lies 169 kilometers east of Pag-asa.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline: “Philippines, US hold first joint patrol in WPS for 2025”