The Philippines is to hold simultaneous naval drills next week with key allies the United States and Japan, the military said yesterday, as Chinese buildup continues on the disputed South China Sea reefs. The annual joint maneuvers with the US, called Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) series, will include a P3-Orion spy plane flight and a helicopter crash and rescue simulation near disputed waters, officials said. The exercises with Japanese Maritime Self- Defense Force, only the second ever, will be staged separately, but in the same week as the US exercise, Philippine Navy spokesman Commander Lued Lincuna said.

Porcalla, D., Laude, J., & Macairan, E. (2015, June 19). Phl sets naval drills with US, Japan. The Philippine Star, p. 2.