The Philippine Navy held a unilateral naval exercise and sovereignty patrol in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) on Friday, Jan. 17, demonstrating its enhanced firepower and combat readiness to secure the country’s maritime interests.

Rear Adm. Joe Anthony Orbe, commander of the Philippine Fleet, said the exercise was aimed at sustaining and improving the operational proficiency of their assets and personnel, particularly in the vicinity of Bajo de Masinloc in Zambales where China’s “monster ship” is deployed.

“The conduct of this routine unilateral exercise demonstrates the importance of training as an effective tool to achieve and maintain the level of readiness and interoperability that is crucial in the fulfillment of the Navy’s mandate of securing the seas and upholding the nation’s territorial integrity,” he said.

The exercise was headlined by the multi-mission capable frigate BRP Antonio Luna (FF151).

She was accompanied by the Navy’s capital ships currently deployed in the WPS including the Del Pilar-class patrol vessels BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PS16) and BRP Andres Bonifacio (PS17).

An 11-second video of the exercise featured Filipino sailors firing their respective ships’ weapons to showcase the Navy’s advanced capabilities in both conventional and asymmetric warfare.

“Officers and crew of the three vessels trained on routine surface operations fostering their expertise and mastery in handling and manning the modern systems toward the efficient utilization of these combat ships in support of the Navy’s overall mission,” Orbe said.

The Navy has been coordinating with the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in monitoring the “illegal presence of China Coast Guard (CCG)-5901, nicknamed “monster” ship, on the coast of Zambales since Jan. 4.

PCG ship BRP Gabriela Silang(OPV-8301) “actively confronted” the CCG-5901 on Thursday, Jan. 16, to ensure that the significantly larger Chinese vessel remains at least 70 nautical miles from the coast of Zambales, according to PCG spokesperson for WPS, Commodore Jay Tarriela.

“The PCG emphasizes that if China is genuinely committed to deescalating tensions and sincerely seeks to foster mutual trust and cooperation between our nations, as articulated by CCG-5901 over the radio, the Chinese government must respect the Philippines' sovereign rights in our EEZ [exclusive economic zone],” Tarriela said.