The Philippine Army and the Australian Army formally commenced the Philippines-Australia Army-to-Army Exercise (PAAAE) "Kasangga" 2026-1 on Sunday, May 25, 2026, in an opening ceremony held at the 9th Infantry Division Grandstand, Camp Elias Angeles, San Jose, Pili, Camarines Sur — bringing together more than 400 military personnel from both nations for a month-long combined training program.
The ceremony marked the formal opening of the bilateral exercise, which is being conducted through the Philippine Army's 9th Infantry "Spear" Division in partnership with the Australian Army (AUSA). The announcement was made by Colonel Louie G. Dema-ala, Chief Public Affairs of the Philippine Army, in a statement released on May 25, 2026.
Training Objectives: Interoperability and Combined Arms Readiness
According to the Philippine Army's public affairs office, the month-long exercise is designed to strengthen interoperability between the two allied forces, enhance command and control capabilities, and improve combined arms operations among participating troops.
The exercise covers a broad range of military training disciplines, reflecting the comprehensive nature of the bilateral engagement. Training activities included in Kasangga 2026-1 are as follows:
- Intelligence operations
- Movement and maneuver
- Fires support
- Civil-military operations
- Sustainment
- Medical operations
- Jungle warfare
- Force protection
The exercise name "Kasangga," which means "ally" or "partner" in Filipino, reflects the spirit of the bilateral engagement — a long-standing defense relationship between the Philippines and Australia formalized through structured military training programs.
Over 400 Troops from Four Philippine Military Branches Participating
A total of 278 Philippine Army soldiers are participating in Kasangga 2026-1, drawn from multiple units under the 9th Infantry Division. These units include the 83rd Infantry Battalion, the 9th Division Training School (9DTS), the 565th Engineer Construction Battalion, the 9th Field Artillery Battalion, and the 21st Cavalry Company.
The Australian Army, for its part, deployed 86 personnel to the exercise, bringing the combined total of participating forces to 364 from both armies alone.
In a notable development, the Philippine Air Force and the Philippine Navy are participating in Kasangga for the first time in the exercise's history. The Philippine Air Force deployed 18 personnel, while the Philippine Navy contributed 22, raising the overall Philippine military representation — and the total combined headcount — to well above 400 personnel.
The inclusion of the Air Force and Navy marks a significant expansion of the exercise's scope, signaling a broader, more joint approach to the bilateral training engagement between the two partner nations.
Kasangga's Roots in Bicol: From 2024 Pilot to Expanded 2026 Format
The Kasangga exercise was first conducted in the Bicol Region in November 2024. According to the Philippine Army, the successful conduct of that initial exercise in Bicol paved the way for expanded training engagements and a strengthened military partnership between the Philippines and Australia.
The 2024 edition served as a proof of concept for holding the bilateral exercise in the Bicol Region, with the 9th Infantry Division serving as the primary host unit. The positive outcome of that exercise directly contributed to the decision to conduct a second iteration — now designated as Kasangga 2026-1 — in the same regional setting.
The "2026-1" designation suggests that more than one iteration of the exercise may be planned for the current year, consistent with the Philippine Army's stated goal of deepening and regularizing its bilateral training engagements with partner nations.
Exercise Supports Philippine Army's Shift to External Security Operations
The Philippine Army's public affairs statement noted that the regular bilateral training exercise supports the Army's active shift to External Security Operations (ESO) — a strategic reorientation that moves the institution's focus from internal security concerns toward conventional, territorial, and external defense missions.
This strategic shift has been a central theme in the Philippine Army's modernization agenda in recent years, and bilateral exercises such as Kasangga serve as a practical vehicle for developing the skills, doctrine, and interoperability standards required for external defense operations.
The inclusion of training scenarios covering jungle warfare, fires support, and combined arms maneuver — disciplines more aligned with conventional rather than counterinsurgency operations — reflects this doctrinal direction.
Training Scenarios Designed to Test Troops' Tactics and Procedures
According to the Philippine Army, Kasangga 26-01 includes training scenarios specifically designed to challenge the skills and expertise of participating troops while deepening their understanding of each other's tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs).
The cross-learning dimension of the exercise is considered central to its value, as it allows Philippine and Australian soldiers to familiarize themselves with each other's operational methods — knowledge that would prove essential in any future combined operation or humanitarian response mission requiring rapid coordination between the two forces.
The 9th Infantry "Spear" Division, headquartered at Camp Elias Angeles in Camarines Sur, serves as the host and primary coordinator of the exercise on the Philippine side. The division's area of responsibility covers the Bicol Region, making it the operational hub for Kasangga's ground-level activities.
Philippine-Australia Defense Relations: A Growing Partnership
The Kasangga exercise is one of several bilateral military engagements conducted annually between the Philippine and Australian armed forces. Australia has been among the Philippines' key defense partners in the Indo-Pacific region, with cooperation spanning maritime security, humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR), and conventional military training.
The formal structure of a Philippines-Australia Army-to-Army Exercise (PAAAE) reflects the institutionalized nature of the defense relationship — moving beyond ad hoc engagements toward a regularized, programmatic approach to military cooperation.
The expansion of Kasangga to include Philippine Air Force and Navy personnel for the first time in the 2026-1 iteration is seen as a step toward a more fully joint bilateral training framework, potentially laying the groundwork for even broader combined exercises in future iterations.
No end date for the month-long exercise was specified in the Philippine Army's announcement, but given the May 25, 2026 opening date, the exercise is expected to conclude within June 2026. Further updates are anticipated from the 9th Division Public Affairs Office as training activities progress throughout the exercise period.
Photo credit: Photo courtesy of 9th Division Public Affairs Office (9DPAO), 9th Infantry Division, Philippine Army