The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the United States Armed Forces formally opened Exercise Balikatan 41-2026 on April 20, 2026, at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City, marking the largest joint military drill between the two allies to date.
More than 17,000 troops from both countries are participating in the three-week exercise, which will feature operations across multiple provinces. Military representatives from Australia, Canada, France, Japan, and New Zealand are also joining under the International Observers Program.
Present during the opening ceremony were U.S. Chargé d’Affaires a.i. Y. Robert Ewing, AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo S. Brawner Jr., U.S. 1st Marine Expeditionary Force Commander Lt. Gen. Christian F. Wortman, Philippine exercise director Maj. Gen. Francisco Lorenzo, and AFP Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations Maj. Gen. Elmer Suderio.
Planned activities include multinational maritime exercises in Northern Luzon, integrated air and missile defense drills in Zambales, counter-landing and live-fire exercises in Palawan and Ilocos Norte, and joint maritime strike operations in Ilocos Norte.
Brawner underscored the importance of the exercise in enhancing military readiness and regional security.
“Balikatan is readiness made real, cooperation put into action, and peace preserved through strength. Let this exercise not only demonstrate our readiness, but affirm our commitment to stand together and to act together,” he said.
Now in its 41st iteration, Balikatan 2026 also coincides with the 75th anniversary of the Philippines–United States Mutual Defense Treaty, highlighting the continued alliance and shared commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
