The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said Wednesday, Oct. 16, that it kicked off two more bilateral military exercises – "Kamandag" and "Sama-Sama" – with counterparts from the United States, proving that the two countries’ security partnership has further elevated under the current administration.
The Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) opened the “Kaagapay ng mga Mandirigma ng Dagat” or Kamandag exercise at the PMC headquarters in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City on Tuesday, Oct. 15.
Maj. Gen. Arturo Rojas, commandant of the PMC, said this year’s Kamandag is the eighth iteration of the bilateral exercise between the PMC and the US Marine Corps (USMC). It will run until Oct. 25.
“Kamandag 8 exercise aims to strengthen the interoperability of participating nations while promoting regional security and cooperation. It is designed to enhance combined operational proficiency in key areas such as Special Operations, Coastal Defense Operations, and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Operations,” Rojas said.
The exercise features participants from several allied countries such as Japan, South Korea, United Kingdom and Australia. There are also observers from France, Thailand, and Indonesia.
With an estimated 2,350 participants, Kamandag or “venom” in its English translation will have primary exercise locations in northern Luzon near Taiwan, Central Luzon, National Capital Region, Cavite, and Palawan facing the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
The Kamandag exercise was launched a day after China held large-scale military exercise around Taiwan.
But Rojas said that Kamandag has long been planned by the PMC and USMC, and it is not a response to China’s military drills.
“Kamandag is more than just defense. It is about building trust, fostering cooperation, and reinforcing the partnerships that allow us to maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific,” he said.
Meanwhile, Col. Stuart W. Glenn, commanding officer of the USMC’s Marine Rotational Force Southeast Asia, said the exercise is a testament of the strong alliance between the PH-US Marine Corps.
“Kamandag serves as a testament [of the] enduring and ironclad alliance our nation shared. We will enhance our interoperability and strengthen our collective defense and our personal friendships. Through our efforts, we reaffirm our mutual commitment to regional security as we face the ever-evolving security environment that threatens the free and open Indo-Pacific,” Glenn said.
‘Sama-Sama’
Meanwhile, the Philippine Navy (PN) conducted a series of advanced maritime drills with the US Navy focusing on anti-submarine warfare and joint patrol operations Oct. 14 as part of the “sea phase” of Exercise Sama-Sama.
Sama-Sama, which means “togetherness” in English, is a Philippines-US bilateral exercise designed to enhance interoperability and strengthen security ties among regional partners. It is now on its seventh year.
Military ships from the two navies conducted combined anti-submarine exercise (Casex) where they engaged in torpedo exercises using the Expandable Mobile Anti-Submarine Warfare Training Target (Emattex). In the navy, warships often carry torpedoes that are exercise weapons which can be launched within a certain range to simulate firing techniques.
The two navies also held a joint and combined patrol (night steaming in company) in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) to simulate “real-world scenarios of patrolling contested waters.”
“This drill aimed to enhance coordination between participating units in a nighttime operational setting, improving response capabilities in crisis situations,” AFP public affairs office chief Col. Xerxes Trinidad said.
Further, the naval forces executed Search and Rescue Exercises (Sarex) and Shipboard Casualty Care drills which demonstrated their combat readiness and HADR skills.
Sama-Sama features participants from Australia, Canada, France, and Japan.
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