In a demonstration of deepening defense ties and strategic recalibration, the Australian and Philippine armies recently conducted five weeks of training across jungle and urban terrain on the Southeast Asian nation’s southern island of Mindanao.
Held from mid-May to late June and named after the Filipino word for “ally,” Exercise Kasangga 2025-1 underscored a shift in the Philippine Army’s operational focus from internal threats to regional security objectives. Drills encompassed operational scenarios including combat casualty care, survival skills, mobility and countermobility, and reconnaissance.
“The Philippine Army is committed to building strong partnerships with partner nations such as Australia with the end view of promoting regional stability and security,” Lt. Gen. Roy M. Galido, Philippine Army chief, said during the opening ceremony.
The exercise location — outside traditional training areas on the northern island of Luzon — is seen as significant. The Philippine Armed Forces conducts most of its major joint exercises with its treaty ally, the United States, in the nation’s north, near the South China Sea and the self-governed island of Taiwan. Mindanao was the site of a decades-long separatist rebellion until the government and the largest rebel group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, signed a 2014 peace deal.
The second phase of the 2025 exercise will be held in the Western Visayas region in the central Philippines, within the jurisdiction of the Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division.
“Such strategic positioning demonstrates the Philippine Army’s commitment to securing our territorial integrity across all regions while sending a clear message about our willingness to operate in areas of strategic importance to regional stability,” a spokesperson told FORUM.
Canberra and Manila signed a status of visiting forces agreement in 2007, allowing the countries to conduct joint exercises and high-level visits on each other’s territory. The nations’ forces have increased training engagements, including the drills that were named Kasangga in 2022.
“Enhanced defense cooperation between the Philippines and Australia addresses common security challenges and threats in the Indo-Pacific region by bolstering our external security operations through combined training exercises,” the Philippine Army spokesperson said. “By leveraging each other’s strengths and fostering a coordinated approach, this partnership ensures a more robust and resilient defense posture that ultimately contributes to regional stability and security.”
The Kasangga drills could be a template for Indo-Pacific engagements given their balance between capability development and strategic relationship building.
“Rather than focusing solely on enhancing interoperability, Exercise Kasangga emphasizes practical capability enhancement through shared operational experiences,” the spokesperson said. “This approach creates a replicable framework that other Indo-Pacific nations can adapt to their bilateral training aimed at addressing traditional and emerging security threats.”
Such tactical-level training fosters mutual respect and a clear understanding of each side’s strengths and limitations, laying the groundwork for trust and more effective coordination during crises. The drills also strengthen the foundation for deeper strategic cooperation across the region.
“Looking ahead, the enhanced defense cooperation between the Philippines and Australia is anticipated to yield significant outcomes and long-term benefits, including a strengthened bilateral relationship marked by increased trust, collaboration and shared strategic objectives,” the Philippine Army spokesperson said.
