Longtime allies the Philippines and United States officially started their annual large-scale military drills amid China’s aggression in the South China Sea.
At least 17,000 troops are taking part in the drills, along with hundreds of troops from Japan and Australia, who were invited to be direct participants in the 2025 Balikatan (shoulder-to-shoulder) Exercise.
Scheduled until the first week of May, the drills will showcase some of the sophisticated US weapons like the “highly mobile” NMESIS anti-ship missile system that was deployed in the country last week.
The Philippines, United States, and Japan will hold a Multilateral Maritime Event (MME), featuring vessels from all three countries. Troops will also demonstrate Integrated Air and Missile Defense and Counter-Landing Live Fire Exercise.
The major event is a maritime strike which will be held off Zambales on May 5 which will be attended by President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr.
“This year’s Balikatan will showcase a full battle test, the purposeful integration of real world security situations relevant to the region with live, virtual and constructive training opportunities that will give the Philippines and the US a collective opportunity to demonstrate capabilities across all domains, across all services and all forces,” US Marine Corps Forces Pacific commander Lt. Gen. James Glynn said during the opening at at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.
“We stand with the Philippines and the United States, and all of us commit with a commitment to peace and a dedication to security throughout the Indo-Pacific. And this is why in Balikatan ’25, 40 iterations later, you will experience that we will push ourselves individually further and our equipment and our capabilities to the edge of what our capabilities are,” he added.
Four European countries – Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Lithuania and Poland – have sent observers, joining 15 other nations watching the drills that will be staged facing Taiwan and South China Sea.
Other countries that sent their observers include Brunei, Canada, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, the UK, and Vietnam. Japan and Australia are also taking part, with troops participating in select Balikatan activities.
“Across the vibrant expanse of Luzon, Palawan, the Visayas and Mindanao, we will assess our readiness in all domains — air, land, sea, cyber, information, cognitive and the emerging frontier of space — through comprehensive exercises that integrate tactical precision with strategic foresight,” said General Romeo Brawner, chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
“Our operations span complex joint endeavors, including missile defense, counter-landing live fires and maritime strike capabilities, alongside humanitarian efforts and infrastructure projects that directly benefit our local communities,” Brawner added.
According to Brawner, the initiatives are not just about showcasing military strength, but also highlight the Philippines–U.S. partnership in protecting people, preserving peace, and preparing for future challenges.
“Together with our allies, we reaffirm our commitment to the Mutual Defense Treaty, a pillar of our bilateral relations and a guardian of peace in our region. Friends, partners, allies, these words reflect the trust that we have cultivated through shared missions and the values we uphold together,” Brawner stressed.
The Philippines and the United States are mutual defense treaty partners, and Washington has said repeatedly that it will come to Manila’s aid in case of an armed attack on any of its military and civilian ships.
Beijing has beenaccused of employing aggressive tactics against Philippine ships in the South China Sea, such as firing water cannons and using high-intensity lasers, in a bid to assert its territorial claims in the contested waters.
China claims most of the South China Sea, rejecting both rival claims from other countries, including the Philippines, and a 2016 international ruling that its assertion over the waterwayhasno legal basis.
Last week, Marcos Jnr said he is interested in watching integrated air and missile defense exercises.
“I will always say the same thing. When we plan out our exercises, we are agnostic to whatever reactions other countries may have with the exercise. But as I’ve always said in all the previous exercises, every country, big or small, has the absolute and inalienable right to defend itself. That means that we also have a right to train for that defense and with the partners, our treaty allies. So what we are just doing is in consonance with our Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT),” Marcos Jnr told reporters when asked about China’s possible response to this year’s Balikatan.
Manila and the United States are bound by the long-standing 1951 MDT that calls on both sides to help each other in times of aggression by an external power.
Chester Cabalza, president of the Manila-based think tank International Development and Security Cooperation,said Manila’s strategy expansion on territorial defense is very effective.
“Right now, the world is watching us. They are listening to every gambit of strategy that we are showing to our big neighbor. And I think this is a great manifestation that the Philippines is doing well when it comes to its territorial defence,” Cabalza told ANC Headstart.
“And I think that the next phase would be the self-reliant defense posture. Because of course when you do defense rehearsals you also need self-reliant ammunition and at the same time the technology transfer and procurement process,” he added.
