US, Philippines Begin Large-Scale Joint Military Drills to Bolster Defense Ties

Japan and South Korea participate in the exercises as 'observers'

Philippine marines amphibious assault vehicles maneouver next to a Philippine BRP Tarlac navy landing platform dock ship during a joint amphibious landing exercise with U.S. Marines at a beach facing the South China Sea in San Antonio town, Zambales province on Oct. 7, 2022. (Ted Aljibe/AFP via Getty Images)

The Philippines and U.S. Marines are conducting a two-week joint naval exercise to bolster military ties, while Japan and South Korea are participating in the drill as “observers” for the first time.

The Kamandag 6 is being held in the Philippine islands of Luzon, Batanes, and Palawan through Oct. 14. It involves 530 Philippine marines, 2,550 U.S. Marines, and 100 Philippine navy and air force personnel.

Some 30 Japan Ground Self-Defense Force personnel and 100 South Korean marines are also participating in the exercise, according to the U.S. Marine Corps.

“The Kamandag exercise certainly boosts our territorial defense capabilities as we continue training with our allied forces in the region,” Brig. Gen. Raul Jesus Caldez, the acting commandant of the Philippine Marine Corps, said in a statement.

The drill will include a combined arms live-fire exercise in central Luzon featuring aircraft and high mobility rocket systems, as well as amphibious operations along the eastern and northern coasts, according to the U.S. Marine Corps.

A U.S. Marine officer (R) gives instructions to Philippine marines wearing protective gear and using joint chemical agent detectors during a chemical warfare exercise as part of a joint amphibious landing training at a beach facing the South China Sea in the town of San Antonio, Zambales Province, Philippines, on Oct. 7, 2022. (Ted Aljibe/AFP via Getty Images)

The joint exercise on the Philippine islands are occurring concurrently with a U.S. Marine exercise in Japan involving 1,400 troops of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force and 1,600 U.S. Marines.

Bolstering Military Ties

The United States and the Philippines are allies under the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty, which stipulates that the countries would defend each other if attacked.

The latest joint drill follows a meeting between U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and his Philippine counterpart, Jose Faustino, in Hawaii on Sept. 30, during which they pledged to bolster military cooperation to tackle regional challenges.

Faustino said security engagement is “a key pillar of Philippines–U.S. bilateral relations” and that his government would continue to engage in diplomacy with China to address the “volatile situation” in the South China Sea.

“We continue to engage with like-minded countries and make sure that the rule of law and the rules-based international order will prevail in the West Philippine Sea and the South China Sea,” he said at a joint press conference.

China has increased its influence in the South China Sea through its artificial islands and military buildup. It claims the majority of the South China Sea under its so-called nine-dash line, despite competing claims from other nations.

Faustino also expressed concern over China’s ongoing military drills near Taiwan, saying that more than 130,000 Filipino workers in Taiwan could be in danger if Taiwan is attacked.

China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has vowed to conquer it by force if necessary. Any attack on Taiwan could threaten Philippine security because of its proximity to Taiwan, which sits on the north side of the Luzon Strait.