A United States Navy ship dropped anchor in Manila for a regular port call as the Philippines reaffirmed its strong relations to the Western ally, the Philippine Navy (PN) confirmed on Sunday, Feb. 27.

Littoral combat ship USS Tulsa (LCS-16) was granted diplomatic clearance by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to dock in the Port of Manila as it currently undergoes replenishment and maintenance.
USS Tulsa, part of US Navy’s Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 7, is on a rotational deployment while operating in the US Navy 7th Fleet area of operations “to enhance interoperability with partners and serve as a ready-response force in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific region,” said Col. Jorry Baclor, chief of AFP public affairs office.
The American combat ship arrived last February 24 and is expected to leave the Port of Manila “as soon as the ship replenishment and maintenance are completed.”
The ship’s docking came as Vice Admiral Karl Thomas, commander of the US Navy’s 7th Fleet, visited Vice Adm. Adeuis Bordado, PN commander, at the PN headquarters in Manila on Feb. 22.
“The visit reaffirmed the two navies' partnership and cooperation, with the two leaders emphasizing a free and open Indo-Pacific region,” Baclor said.