The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said Tuesday that its current military training and exercises with allied nations are sufficient to address the “evolving security environment” in the West Philippine Sea.
Speaking at a briefing at Camp Aguinaldo, Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad, AFP spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, said the military conducts a steady rotation of unilateral, bilateral, and multilateral activities throughout the year.
He cited that these drills are carefully calibrated to respond to the prevailing security conditions in the region.
“These are conducted in areas that are designated early on based on the current security situation,” Trinidad said. “Rest assured that these exercises will be conducted and these are responsive enough to the dynamics of the region.”
Trinidad highlighted the importance of multilateral cooperation activities, noting that participating countries consistently support Philippine efforts to maintain sovereignty in the disputed waters.
He specifically identified the United States as a primary security partner, emphasizing that the Mutual Defense Treaty between the two nations remains “ironclad.”
Trinidad also dismissed what he described as efforts by the “United Front Works of the Chinese Communist Party” to create doubt among Filipinos regarding the reliability of the US as a treaty partner.
“Actions in the West Philippine Sea and our various multilateral exercises, where the US strongly participates, reinforce that this treaty is definitely ironclad,” Trinidad said.
When asked if US involvement in other global conflicts — such as ongoing tensions in Venezuela — affected the AFP’s confidence in its ally, Trinidad declined to comment on matters outside the region.
He deferred such questions to other government agencies, focusing instead on the visible actions of allies within the South China Sea.
Trinidad maintained that the Philippines’ security posture remains defensive and anchored on international law. He added that the AFP is prepared for all contingencies, ranging from peacetime humanitarian missions to potential wartime crises.