The Philippines and the United States have agreed to hold more than 500 joint military activities in 2026, including the annual Balikatan exercises, as both nations reaffirmed their defense alliance in the face of increasingly aggressive Chinese maneuvers in the South China Sea and beyond.
During the Mutual Defense Board-Security Engagement Board (MDB-SEB) meeting at Camp Smith, Hawaii on August 7-8, Admiral Samuel J. Paparo, commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, and General Romeo Brawner Jr., chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), signed the so-called “8-Star Memo.” The document provides guidance and approvals for next year’s defense and security cooperation.
The activities range from large-scale bilateral and multilateral exercises to smaller subject matter exchanges designed to improve interoperability, strengthen maritime defenses, and enhance disaster response.
Maritime Cooperative Activities (MCAs), which have become increasingly vital to asserting freedom of navigation in contested waters, remain a core element of the cooperation.
The MDB-SEB ensures that the partnership grows stronger each year while directly addressing national defense capabilities, underscoring Washington’s commitment to the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty.
The Philippines is determined to expand its operational readiness with the support of its treaty ally, as tensions with China continue to test Manila’s territorial claims in the West Philippine Sea.
The joint approval of more than 500 activities comes at a critical time, with Chinese coast guard and maritime militia vessels stepping up their incursions in Philippine waters, including aggressive maneuvers and water cannon attacks against Filipino vessels on resupply missions to Ayungin Shoal.
The 8-Star memo also directed service components under US Indo-Pacific Command to immediately begin planning and coordination with their AFP counterparts.
These initiatives, officials said, will not only build deterrence against external threats but also ensure the Philippines and the US can jointly respond to natural disasters and humanitarian crises.
Established in 1958 and 2006 respectively, the Mutual Defense Board and Security Engagement Board form the framework of the US-Philippine military partnership, translating strategic commitments into concrete cooperation year after year.
