Rowegie Abanto

The guided missile destroyer USS Benfold, Philippine Navy frigate BRP Jose Rizal, the Royal Australian Navy air warfare destroyer HMAS Hobart, and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer JS Akizuki (DD 115), participate in a multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity exercise in the South China Sea, on February 5, 2025. Photo MC2 Monica Walker/US 7th Fleet handout photo



Article (news)

Bianca Dava

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17646610600901764661059476.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" spellcheck="false" style="text-align:left">The guided missile destroyer USS Benfold, Philippine Navy frigate BRP Jose Rizal, the Royal Australian Navy air warfare destroyer HMAS Hobart, and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer JS Akizuki (DD 115), participate in a multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity exercise in the South China Sea, on February 5, 2025. <em>Photo MC2 Monica Walker/US 7th Fleet handout photo</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Nineteen People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy warships were monitored in the West Philippine Sea in November, a Philippine Navy official said on Tuesday.</p><p>Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said the Chinese warships, which were frigates and destroyers of various types, have been present in the area for some time.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/12/1/philippines-japan-elevate-maritime-watch-in-west-philippine-sea-0136">Philippines, Japan elevate maritime watch in West PH Sea</a></div><p>“Their illegal presence, their coercive and aggressive actions, the deceptive messaging have been there for quite some time,” Trinidad said in a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.</p><p>“There has been no report of any fire control system activated against our ships. Their presence is there. We monitor them… We challenge them,” he added.</p><p>While the number of PLA Navy vessels in the West Philippine Sea in November was slightly lower than October’s 21, Trinidad attributed the change to weather disturbances.</p><div> </div><div><strong>10 MORE NAVAL VESSELS EXPECTED</strong></div><div> </div><p>The Philippine Navy is set to expand its fleet with ten additional warships over the next several years, according to Trinidad.</p><p>“In the construction pipeline are six more offshore patrol vessels, two more landing docks from PT. PAL of Indonesia, and in the discussion phase will be an additional two more frigates. This will bring the total to ten more warships that we are waiting [for],” the official said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/30/ph-coast-guard-blocks-chinese-vessel-off-zambales-1926">PH Coast Guard blocks Chinese vessel off Zambales</a></div><p>The six offshore patrol vessels and two landing docks are already funded and being constructed in South Korea and Indonesia, respectively, with deliveries scheduled from 2026 to 2029.</p><p>Meanwhile, the two additional frigates and other capabilities remained under deliberation at the Department of National Defense (DND).</p><div> </div><div><strong>STRENGTHENING ALLIANCES AND MARITIME SECURITY</strong></div><div> </div><p>Trinidad highlighted the Navy’s recent maritime cooperative activities (MCAs) with like-minded nations.</p><p>In November alone, three bilateral MCAs were conducted:</p><div><br/></div><ul style="list-style-type:circle"><li>2nd Philippines-India Bilateral MCA – November 26 in the vicinity of Bajo de Masinloc</li><li>Philippines-France Bilateral MCA – November 28 in the vicinity of Eastern Mindanao</li><li>3rd Philippines-Japan Bilateral MCA – November 29 in the West Philippine Sea</li></ul><div> </div><p>Trinidad noted there were no untoward incidents by the PLA Navy or the China Coast Guard during the MCAs with France, with Japan and with India. </p><p>“It&#x27;s a wide range of activities ship to ship that help develop our capabilities to plug and play with modern navies,” the official said. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/12/2/brp-diego-silang-enters-active-service-boosts-west-philippine-sea-patrol-1425">BRP Diego Silang enters active service, boosts West PH Sea patrol capability</a></div><p>“This highlights the support that the Philippines is receiving from foreign nations when it comes to support for the rules-based international order. It shows the world that the Philippines is not alone in our fight for the rules-based order,” he added.</p><p>“Activities like these will continue considering the thrust of the defense department is to establish more defense relationship with other like-minded countries.&quot;</p><p>MCAs have steadily increased in frequency: three exercises were conducted in 2023, nine in 2024, and 18 so far in 2025. This brings the total number of activities since 2023 to 30.</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3_1pobV3K7I?&amp;embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.abs-cbn.com%2F&amp;source_ve_path=MjM4NTE&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Nineteen People’s Liberation Army Navy warships were monitored in the West Philippine Sea in November, a Philippine Navy official said on Tuesday.</p>

Nineteen People’s Liberation Army Navy warships were monitored in the West Philippine Sea in November, a Philippine Navy official said on Tuesday.

19 Chinese warships monitored in West Philippine Sea in November: Navy

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19 Chinese warships monitored in West Philippine Sea in November: Navy

Bianca Dava,

ABS-CBN News

Published Dec 02, 2025 03:45 PM PHT

Read More:

West Philippine Sea

Chinese warships

People’s Liberation Army Navy

RADM Roy Vincent Trinidad

Philippine Navy

China

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