ISTANBUL

The US Coast Guard and its Philippine counterpart held a combined drill for the first time, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said Wednesday.

"Marking a milestone in maritime collaboration, this was the first time the US Coast Guard and the Philippine Coast Guard jointly participated in a Maritime Cooperative Activity, highlighting a growing whole-of-nation approach to maritime cooperation," said the statement on X.

The two countries took part in the 6th Bilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity in the strategic waters of Palawan and Occidental Mindoro on Tuesday.

"As the Philippines continues to navigate evolving maritime challenges, joint activities like the Maritime Cooperative Activity reaffirm the AFP’s commitment to modernizing its capabilities and strengthening defense partnerships to secure our national and regional maritime interests," said AFP Chief of Staff General Romeo S. Brawner Jr., while underscoring the drill's importance.

Under a mutual defense treaty, the Philippines is the US’s oldest military ally in the Asia-Pacific region, where American forces have access to Philippine military bases.