US to include Philippines in RIMPAC drills at sea

THE US will include the Philippines in all at-sea activities during this year’s Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercises, underscoring Washington’s confidence in its treaty ally’s growing maritime capabilities.

“We are confident in their ability as partners here at RIMPAC, and they will be incorporated in each and every one of our events during the at-sea phase,” RIMPAC Combined Exercise Control Group Commander Rear Admiral Suzanne M. Bailey said at a Zoom briefing on Monday.

She said the Philippines’ participation would strengthen the multinational naval exercise.

The Philippine Navy on June 18 deployed the BRP Miguel Malvar for live air defense drills ahead of the 30^th RIMPAC exercise, joining preparations with Singapore, Italy and Japan.

Ms. Bailey also cited the integration of unmanned systems as one of the exercise’s most significant features, saying participating countries would train to combine manned and unmanned platforms into a single force.

“By integrating unmanned systems, we present a more complex and unpredictable challenge to any adversary, enhancing our ability to deter aggression,” she said.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has described RIMPAC as the world’s biggest international maritime exercise.

On June 24, Philippine Consul General Arman R. Talbo welcomed the Philippine Navy and Philippine Coast Guard personnel upon their arrival in Honolulu for the harbor phase of the exercise at Pearl Harbor.

“The deployment of both a Philippine Navy and a Philippine Coast Guard vessel to RIMPAC 2026 reflects the Philippines’ growing maritime capabilities,” Mr. Talbo said in a statement issued by the DFA.

He said the country’s participation demonstrates its commitment to promoting maritime security, interoperability and regional cooperation in a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

RIMPAC began on June 24 and will run until July 31, with 30 countries taking part, Ms. Bailey said.

The Philippines and the US in May concluded the 41^st Balikatan (shoulder-to-shoulder) exercises, which involved about 17,000 troops from the two allies and participating forces from Japan, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and France, making it the largest iteration of the annual drills. — Kaela Patricia B. Gabriel