The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Saturday reported the successful conduct of Maritime Cooperative Activity (MCA) with the United States military aimed at upgrading the country’s capability and enhancing interoperability with US forces.

“Alam ninyo naman siguro lahat na nagsagawa tayo ng maritime cooperative activity with the United States Navy and it was successfully conducted, completed although mayroon namang shadowing activity iyong PLA Navy,” AFP spokesman Col. Medel Aguilar said in a news forum in Quezon City.

“But that did not obstruct in the accomplishment of our mission and that is to assert and to make sure that we able to complete this air and maritime patrols. And these are in accordance with international law and it is within our rights,” he said.

After the successful MCA with the US, there is another MCA, this time with the Australian military, Aguilar said.

Aguilar added that it was the result of the partnership that has been published or announced during one of the culmination activities of the exercises with Australia.

The AFP spokesman expects the activity to swiftly push through, as he also expect many more countries to join the Philippines in the conduct of Maritime Cooperative Activity, which is an umbrella term for different activities that the AFP is conducting with the US and with Australia.

“We are conducting (MCA) with the United States and with Australia so that we are able to upgrade the capability of our troops in the performance of our territorial defense operation mission,” he said.

The Philippines and Australia launched Saturday the MCA as part of the strategic partnership of the two countries, over two months since the state visit of Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to Malacañang in September this year.

According to his official X (formerly Twitter) account ,President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said the MCA between the AFP and the defense forces of Australia will enhance the maritime bilateral interoperability of the two countries.

The maritime activity between the Philippines and Australia also highlights the shared commitment of the two countries “to supporting the rules-based international order and a more peaceful, secure, and stable Indo-Pacific region,” the President added. Presidential News Desk