US to rotationally deploy 4 fast response cutters to PH for EEZ patrols

MANILA, August 11 ------ The United States will rotationally deploy four fast response cutters to the Philippines to work with the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in patrolling and securing the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), US Undersecretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby said.

In a keynote speech during a forum organized by the Stratbase Group in Makati City, Colby said the deployment is part of the “historic modernization” of the US-Philippines alliance, alongside co-investments in resilient infrastructure, advanced training, and the operationalization of Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites. “We are backing up those investments with concrete, visible support, including the rotational deployment of four Fast Response Cutters to actively partner with the Philippine Coast Guard in patrolling and securing its Exclusive Economic Zone,” Colby said.

He also noted that the Philippines is taking greater responsibility for its own defense by investing more to modernize its military and coast guard.

PHILIPPINES A ‘MODEL ALLY’

Colby praised the Philippines for strengthening its own defense capabilities, saying the alliance is built on shared responsibility rather than dependence on the US. “We see and respect a resolute and proud nation that is determined to strengthen its own capabilities to better defend itself and its interests. A model ally,” Colby said. He also commended the Philippines for its leadership of ASEAN this year, describing Manila’s approach as clear-headed and pragmatic.

'US NOT DISENGAGING FROM ASIA'

Colby rejected claims that the US is withdrawing or disengaging from the Indo-Pacific, saying Washington is instead expanding its military posture in the region. “America is definitely not disengaging from Asia—to the contrary. Our vital national interests dictate our enduring presence here,” he said. “What the commentariat frequently misinterprets as ‘disengagement’ or ‘retrenchment’ is, in reality, a disciplined and necessary strategic prioritization,” he added.

Colby said the US is replacing what he described as symbolic engagement of previous decades with a “formidable, resource-backed posture” calibrated to the strategic realities of the region. “We are not leaving. In fact, we are digging in, to ensure a favorable balance of power where it matters most,” he stressed.

‘FAVORABLE BALANCE OF POWER’

Colby said maintaining a “favorable balance of power” in the Indo-Pacific is the central objective of the US defense strategy in the region.

According to the official, this requires a posture of “deterrence by denial” along the First Island Chain, backed by forward military capabilities, logistics and stronger interoperability with allies and partners. “Our driving and abiding purpose is to maintain a favorable balance of power in the Indo-Pacific,” Colby said. He cited US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s description of the strategy at the 2026 Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. “We will build and sustain a strong denial defense in the Western Pacific that ensures aggression is infeasible, escalation unattractive, and war deemed irrational,” Colby quoted Hegseth as saying.

‘NO HEGEMON’ IN THE PACIFIC

Colby said the US seeks an Indo-Pacific where no single power dominates the region. He cited Washington’s longstanding policy of maintaining an Asia “free from hegemony.” “A Pacific dominated by any hegemon would unravel the regional balance of power and undermine the equilibrium we all seek to preserve,” Colby said.

He added that the US will continue strengthening its military posture while working with regional countries through “flexible realism”—a practical approach focused on shared interests, national sovereignty and greater responsibility among allies. “This longstanding view of the United States in Asia free of hegemony has been at the core of our regional approach since the earliest days of our republic,” Colby said.

He continued, “America's interests here in the Indo-Pacific region are therefore clear, abiding, and profound, and not in some vague way, but in the concrete, practical sense that this region will be the world's largest market. It is where not only scale is, but growth as well, including especially here in ASEAN.”

Colby’s visit to Manila is part of his four-nation tour — including Indonesia, Thailand and Cambodia — as part of the US’ efforts to reaffirm the country’s commitment to build durable peace in the Indo-Pacific region.

Source: news.abs-cbn.com