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Pia Lee-Brago - The Philippine Star
December 12, 2025 | 12:00am
Philippines, US hold another joint activity in West Philippine Sea The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) announced a successful third Philippine-US Maritime Cooperative Activity (MCA) in Philippine territorial waters, involving the Philippine Navy’s BRP Gregorio del Pilar and US Navy’s USS Gabrielle Giffords. Gregorio del Pilar’s AW109 helicopter and Gabrielle Giffords’ MH-60S Sea Hawk were involved in the activity featuring advanced planning and maritime communication operations within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.
Armed Forces of the Philippines / Facebook page
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines and the United States conducted the 9th Bilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity (MCA) in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), reaffirming the enduring defense partnership between the two countries and ensuring open and secure maritime domains.
Col. Xerxes Trinidad, chief information officer of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, said the AFP and the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) held the MCA on Dec. 9 to 10 within the country’s exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea as the two countries maintain stability, security, and the rules-based international order in the Indo-Pacific region.
During the exercise, the AFP deployed a robust set of assets, including the BRP Jose Rizal (FF150), three FA-50 fighter jets, three A-29B Super Tucano aircraft, one PAF Black Hawk and one Sokol helicopter. The assets demonstrated the Philippines’ expanding operational readiness and its growing ability to integrate with allied forces in complex maritime scenarios.
USINDOPACOM utilized the USS Rafael Peralta (DDG-115), MH-60R Seahawk helicopters and a P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, showcasing advanced capabilities in surveillance, naval warfare and joint maritime operations.
Both forces successfully executed a series of cooperative evolutions, including Division Tactics, complex ship maneuvering exercises, Night Steaming in Company, and fly by or low pass of aircraft. An “intercept and escort” exercise of US P-8A by the PAF’s FA50 was also conducted.
Phl, Iran consultations
Meanwhile, the Philippines and Iran convened the 7th Philippines-Iran Joint Consular Consultation Meeting in Tehran to review ongoing bilateral consular cooperation and reaffirm their commitment to sustaining regular dialogue through the mechanism.
The Philippine delegation was led by Department of Foreign Affairs Office of Consular Affairs Assistant Secretary Anne Jalando-on Louis. The Iranian delegation was headed by Mojtaba Shasti Karimi, director general for consular affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran.
The meeting on Dec. 3 discussed Philippines-Iran cooperation on visa and immigration matters, judicial, tourism and sports cooperation, and other mutually identified areas. Both sides also reaffirmed previously agreed commitments and outlined the next steps to move bilateral cooperation forward.
On tourism and sports cooperation, the Iranian delegation expressed readiness to collaborate in sectors such as health tourism and sports, highlighting Iran’s capabilities in these fields.
Manalo presents
credentials
In another development, Philippine Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York Enrique Manalo presented his credentials to the International Seabed Authority (ISA).
ISA Secretary General Leticia de Reis Carvalho received Manalo’s credentials on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly’s plenary meeting on the consideration of the oceans and law of the sea resolution in New York on Dec. 9.
The ISA is an international organization established under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 1994 Agreement relating to the Implementation of Part XI of UNCLOS.
