Phl, US to hold annual ‘Kamandag' exercises

The Philippine Marines and the US Marine Corps will lead contingents from the United Kingdom, Japan, South Korea from May 26 to June 6 in joint military exercises under Kamandag or Kaagapay ng mga Mandirigma ng Dagat (alliance among the warriors of the seas).

- By PIA LEE BRAGO

The joint exercise, held every year since 2016, is aimed at enhancing multinational military readiness, interoperability and regional defense capabilities.

The US Indo-Pacific Command said the US Marine Corps' Marine Rotational Force-Darwin (MRF-D) 25.3 Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) would be sent from Darwin, Australia for the exercise.

Col. Jason Armas, commanding officer of the MRF-D 25.3 MAGTF, said Kamandag 9 is a clear demonstration of the strength of the US-Philippine alliance as well as their ironclad commitment to regional security and combined readiness.

"Training shoulder to shoulder with our Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) partners isn't just about building interoperability—it's about forging trust in the crucible of shared hardship and preparing together to respond with speed and precision to any crisis, anywhere, anytime," Armas said.

The PMC said Kamandag will open at the Marine Barracks Rudiardo Brown, Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City.

The exercise will be held mostly in Luzon, particularly in Batanes and Palawan, and in Tawi Tawi.