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Pia Lee-Brago - The Philippine Star
April 7, 2026 | 12:00am
Military officials attend the ceremonial joint exercises patch-wearing at the opening of COPE Thunder Exercises 2026-1 in Mabalacat, Pampanga yesterday. The event was attended by Philippine Air Force Brig. Gen. Angelito Retuta, Maj. Gen. Dennis Estrella and US Air Force Brig. Gen. Phillip Mallory.
Walter Bollozos
MANILA, Philippines — More than 7,000 troops from the Philippines, United States, Japan and Australia commenced yesterday the largest Salaknib exercise at Fort Ramon Magsaysay in Palayan City, Nueva Ecija.
The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force and Australian Army will join the exercise for the first time as participants and observers.
This year’s Salaknib Phase 1 is set from April 6 to 17, with the Exercise Balikatan and Salaknib Phase 2 scheduled until June.
The multilateral exercises will focus on maritime and territorial defense, humanitarian assistance and disaster response, along with amphibious and combined arms operations.
In his keynote remarks, Philippine Army vice commander Maj. Gen. Efren Morados said Salaknib is “guided by a clear and strategic purpose to strengthen combined arms operations, deepen multi-domain interoperability, and reinforce a credible and resilient regional security architecture.”
