The Philippines, through the Philippine Navy, together with Japan through the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), as co-chairs of the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM)-Plus Experts’ Working Group on Maritime Security for the 2024–2027 cycle, are co-hosting the Joint Cooperative Activity (JCA) and Future Leaders’ Program (FLP) from September 20 to 26 in Subic, Zambales.

Marking the resumption of at-sea activities under the Experts Working Group on MS since the pandemic, the JCA and FLP will provide opportunities for ASEAN member states and Plus Partners to strengthen practical maritime security cooperation, enhance interoperability, and promote mutual understanding, guided by the theme, “Enhancing Maritime Security and Environmental Resilience in Response to Climate Change.”

The JCA will be conducted in two phases — the Harbor/Shore Phase and the At-Sea Phase — and will bring together participating navies from Asean member states and Plus Partners.

Complementing the JCA, the FLP will provide junior naval officers with opportunities to exchange perspectives on key topics, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and Critical Underwater Infrastructure (CUI), while deepening their understanding of the implications of climate change on maritime security.

The two engagements will strengthen ASEAN-led multilateral defense cooperation and maritime confidence-building among participating navies, while addressing emerging maritime security concerns and environmental challenges associated with climate change. Philippine Navy Public Affairs Office