War on the Rocks – If the United States is serious about denial strategy along the First Island Chain, credibility will be tested less in Taiwan than in the Philippines — specifically in whether Manila can politically sustain resilient, repairable, and survivable infrastructure under pressure. That test hinges on investing in resilience over symbolism. Hardened facilities, dispersed logistics, and rapid repair matter more than episodic presence. And those capabilities must be politically sustainable in Manila if deterrence by denial is to endure.

Naval News – Manila’s northernmost territories will host an element from the Philippine Marine Corps BrahMos supersonic anti-ship missile-armed Coastal Defense Regiment, extending the reach of the force’s newly acquired maritime strike capabilities to the strategic Luzon Strait.

USNI News – U.S. and Philippine defense officials committed to bolstering missile and drone deployments across the Southeast Asian archipelago in support of Washington’s first island chain deterrence efforts against China.

USNI News – The Pentagon and Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) finalized a contract Monday to transfer American aircraft and patrol vessels to the archipelagic nation.

Naval News – The Japanese government on Wednesday officially turned over five coastal radar systems to the Philippines as part of efforts to bolster Manila’s maritime domain awareness amid China’s continuing aggressive actions in the region.

USNI News – The U.S. Army has stood up a rotational force in the Philippines, according to recently released defense media. Army Rotational Force-Philippines, a previously unknown formation, was revealed for the first time Thursday following a meeting last month between the ground service and Marine Rotational Force-Southeast Asia in Manila.

Naval News – The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration (CGA) held a meeting in Manila this week to discuss potential lines of cooperation – including intelligence sharing and capacity-building efforts – in the face of increasing tensions in the South China Sea and Luzon Strait. 

Defense News –  Once reliant on aging, second-hand vessels from the United States, a steady drumbeat of new warships is beginning to enter Philippine Navy service.

Defense News – The United States and the Philippines have announced the creation of a joint task force aimed at further deterring what U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called Beijing’s “coercion” in the South China Sea.

Breaking Defense – Strategic geography, resupply corridors, and maritime access underscore Manila and Tokyo’s ability to assist Taiwan.

USNI News – American and Philippine defense secretaries unveiled a task force designed to deter Chinese coercion in the South China Sea and enhance alliance defense cooperation.

USNI News – Philippine Marines deployed two small boats last week to escort a Chinese fishing boat that Manila claimed was illegally fishing at Second Thomas Shoal.

USNI News – Manila stood up its first Army unit dedicated to operating surface-to-surface missiles last week in an effort to strengthen Philippine forces’ long-range precision strike capabilities and contribute to the country’s territorial defense operations.

USNI News – Manila provided supplies and protection to Philippine fishermen against a fleet of Chinese patrol ships, warships and aircraft operating in the South China Sea near two disputed maritime features on Tuesday.

USNI News – The Philippine Navy’s newest warship recently arrived at Subic Bay, marking the latest development in Manila’s military modernization efforts amid tensions in the South China Sea.

USNI News – A defense pact between Manila and Tokyo will go into effect next month, furthering a new phase of security cooperation aimed at enhancing military-to-military training on Philippine soil.

USNI News – The U.S. plans to fund and build a facility capable of hosting watercraft and assault boats on the western coast of Palawan in support of Manila’s operations into the disputed waters of the South China Sea.

USNI News – A Philippine Coast Guard cutter intercepted a Chinese Navy spy ship within Manila’s western exclusive economic zone over the weekend.

USNI News – In the jungles, plains and mountains of Luzon, the U.S. Army is experimenting with 3D-printed drones, missile launchers and new operational maneuvers in a test of their ability to defend the Philippines’ largest island. The drills come amid Manila’s concerns of potential spillover from a cross-strait conflict between Beijing and Taipei reaching Northern Luzon, located just 155 miles south of Taiwan.

Naval News – Japan is in talks with the Philippines over a potential transfer of used navy destroyers and maritime surveillance aircraft, as part of Tokyo’s efforts to bolster Manila’s defense capabilities amid China’s growing assertiveness in the region.

Defense News – The Philippines is ramping up its maritime defense posture with plans to establish and upgrade several naval bases in critical areas across the archipelago, including an island base under a basing agreement with the United States and a former American base in Luzon.

USNI News – It was a lazy afternoon on the bridge of the Philippine Coast Guard patrol boat. The crew snacked on crackers and listened to music from an officer’s phone, all the while scanning the horizon and checking their Furuno radar for any new contacts that could join the two China Coast Guard cutters stalking their three-ship formation…

Naval News – The Philippine Navy plans to activate new naval bases in Subic Bay and Mindanao to bolster sustainment and basing capabilities in support of its naval modernization efforts.