The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), in coordination with the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM), successfully completed a five-day Bilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity (MCA) in the waters surrounding Bajo de Masinloc in the West Philippine Sea from May 26 to 30, 2026.
The exercise, designated as the 3rd PH-US MCA of 2026, involved a combined complement of naval vessels, fighter aircraft, helicopters, and coast guard ships from both nations, according to a statement released by Col. Xerxes A. Trinidad, Chief of the AFP Public Affairs Office, on May 31, 2026.
Philippine and US Naval Assets Deployed to West Philippine Sea
The Philippines fielded a significant contingent of naval and air assets for the bilateral exercise. According to the AFP Public Affairs Office, Philippine assets included the BRP Antonio Luna (FFG-15), a newly commissioned guided-missile frigate, along with an AW109 helicopter, FA-50 fighter aircraft, and a Sokol aircraft.
The Philippine Coast Guard contributed the BRP Melchora Aquino (MRRV-9702), a multi-role response vessel, underscoring the whole-of-government maritime presence deployed for the activity.
On the United States side, USINDOPACOM participated with the USCGC Midgett (WMSL-757), a Legend-class national security cutter operated by the United States Coast Guard, supported by an MH-65 helicopter. The combined force operated in the vicinity waters of Bajo de Masinloc, which the Philippines refers to as Panatag Shoal, a feature in the South China Sea that the Philippines administers as part of its Exclusive Economic Zone.
Five Days of Maritime Drills Covering Search, Seizure, and Air Operations
Over the course of the five-day activity, allied forces undertook a range of structured maritime exercises designed to test and refine joint operational capabilities. According to the AFP statement, the exercises included Search and Rescue (SAR) operations, which train naval personnel to respond to maritime distress incidents in coordinated, multi-vessel environments.
Forces also conducted Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS) drills — a critical component of maritime law enforcement in which boarding teams practice intercepting and inspecting vessels suspected of violating international maritime law. Maritime Law Enforcement Training was conducted in parallel to reinforce legal frameworks governing naval operations within exclusive economic zones.
Air-to-ship integration was a key component of the exercises. Rotary Wing Deck Landing Qualifications (DLQ) were performed, testing the ability of helicopter crews to safely conduct landings on vessel decks under operational conditions. Vertical Replenishment (VERTREP) exercises — which involve the aerial transfer of cargo and supplies between ships using helicopters — were also carried out, enhancing logistical interoperability between allied forces.
Rounding out the five-day program were Communication Exercises (COMMEX), which focused on establishing and maintaining reliable communications protocols between Philippine and US units operating across air, sea, and surface domains.
Third Joint MCA of 2026 as PH-US Defense Cooperation Deepens
The May 26–30 activity marks the third Bilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity conducted jointly by the AFP and USINDOPACOM in 2026, reflecting an accelerating tempo of joint military engagements between Manila and Washington under the framework of the Mutual Defense Treaty and the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).
In his official statement, Col. Trinidad described the exercise as evidence of the sustained and growing defense partnership between the two countries. "The successful conduct of the recent MCA reflects the enduring commitment of the Philippines and the United States to deepen defense cooperation, strengthen maritime domain awareness, and uphold a rules-based international order," the statement read.
The AFP Public Affairs Office noted that the activity was photographed by the North Luzon Naval Command, which has operational jurisdiction over maritime approaches to the northern and western Philippine seaboard, including the disputed waters of the West Philippine Sea.
Bajo de Masinloc as a Strategic Exercise Location
The choice of Bajo de Masinloc as the site for the bilateral activity carries significant strategic context. The shoal, situated approximately 230 kilometers west of Zambales province on the Philippine island of Luzon, lies well within the Philippines' 200-nautical-mile Exclusive Economic Zone as defined under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
In 2016, an international arbitral tribunal constituted under UNCLOS ruled in favor of the Philippines in its case against China, affirming Filipino sovereign rights over the area. China, which claims broad sovereignty over most of the South China Sea under its nine-dash line doctrine, has not recognized the ruling and has maintained a presence in the area.
Conducting a joint maritime exercise in this specific location reflects a deliberate emphasis on freedom of navigation and Philippine sovereign rights in the contested zone, consistent with the AFP's publicly stated policy objectives regarding the West Philippine Sea.
PCG's Expanded Role in Joint Maritime Exercises
The participation of the Philippine Coast Guard alongside AFP naval and air assets marks a continued broadening of the PCG's role in joint defense activities. In recent years, the PCG has increasingly been integrated into bilateral exercises alongside the AFP, reflecting Manila's strategy of projecting a civilian maritime law enforcement presence in its contested waters — a posture designed to assert sovereign rights without sole reliance on purely military assets.
The deployment of the BRP Melchora Aquino, one of the PCG's largest and most capable multi-role response vessels, to operate alongside a US Coast Guard national security cutter is consistent with this approach, allowing Philippine and US coast guard counterparts to train together in law enforcement and rescue protocols specific to civilian maritime jurisdiction.
AFP Frames Exercise Within Rules-Based International Order
The AFP Public Affairs Office consistently framed the bilateral activity within the broader principles of a rules-based international order — a formulation that both Manila and Washington have used to signal their shared opposition to unilateral actions that challenge internationally recognized maritime boundaries.
The statement released by Col. Trinidad made no reference to specific incidents or confrontations in the West Philippine Sea but cited "maritime domain awareness" as a core objective of the exercise. Maritime domain awareness refers to the effective understanding of anything associated with the maritime environment that could impact security, safety, the economy, or the environment — a capability that bilateral exercises of this nature are specifically designed to enhance.
With two more MCAs already completed earlier in 2026 prior to this latest exercise, the frequency of joint maritime drills between the AFP and USINDOPACOM this year suggests a sustained commitment by both governments to maintain operational readiness and a visible allied presence in the West Philippine Sea.
No further details on the next scheduled bilateral maritime activity were provided in the AFP statement as of May 31, 2026.
Photo credit: Photo courtesy of the North Luzon Naval Command / AFP Public Affairs Office