00:00In this video, we'll talk about the Balikatan 2026
00:03along with Colonel Franzel Margaret Padilla,
00:07the Armed Forces of the Philippines,
00:09and Colonel Robert Bunn, Marine Air Ground Task Force Deputy Commander of the United States Marine Corps.
00:14Good morning, or good afternoon rather, Colonel Padilla,
00:18and welcome to the new Philippines, Colonel Bunn.
00:21Good morning, Joshua.
00:23Ma'am, first of all, how are you going to go to Balikatan exercise?
00:27At ano-ano po yung mga pangunay activities sa ilalim ng Balikatan?
00:31Well, basically, this will open on April 20th hanggang May 8th.
00:40But before the actual Balikatan exercises ensues,
00:45nararamdaman na ito ng ating communities.
00:47We already have civic activities, humanitarian and civic activities that have been ongoing.
00:54So prior to that, ngayon, as we speak, may mga nangyayari na yan all over the Philippines.
01:01So may mga classrooms na pinapatayo, may mga humanitarian and civic activities na ginagawa na rin.
01:08Would you like to add to that?
01:09Yes, Colonel Padilla, I'd just like to add that these humanitarian assistance opportunities are important
01:16for our ironclad alliance and represents our cooperation between our two nations for Balikatan.
01:25There's a lot more to Balikatan to include security operations,
01:28but it's really important that we continue these humanitarian type of civil engineering proper exercises
01:34to include, to increase our cooperation together.
01:37Well, for Colonel Bun, what lessons from past joint exercises or real-world operations
01:43are you hoping to apply or test for this Balikatan exercise for this year?
01:47Joshua, I thank you for that question because I've participated in Balikatan before
01:52and it always provides great opportunities for our two armed forces to work interoperability.
01:58And what do I mean by interoperability?
02:00What I mean is sometimes our communication systems, our computer systems,
02:05need to be able to talk to each other.
02:06But also, as human beings, there's always a natural barrier,
02:09sometimes due to cultural reasons or due to language reasons,
02:13that we are able to work through every year to increase our ability to operate together.
02:18Okay. Well, for Colonel Padilla, from your perspective po,
02:22paano po ninyo nakikita itong makakatulong sa depensa o sa defense security ng mga ating bansa?
02:28Well, basically, it shows the strong alliance between the Philippines and the U.S.
02:33And this year, there will be more countries joining in.
02:37So, we're looking at seven countries joining in the Balikatan this year.
02:41And it shows that more and more nations have been really showing that we are all working towards a common
02:48goal
02:48that is to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific.
02:52May kakaiba po ba, may bago ba sa Balikatan exercises na nating asahan for this year?
02:57Well, it's always evolving, no?
02:59It's very dynamic this year.
03:02Ang term nga natin dito is expanded multilateral engagement.
03:06So, mas malawak siya, mas maraming nagjo-join.
03:09We're looking at around 17,000 troops joining in these exercises.
03:14And it extends from kinetic to non-kinetic.
03:18So, we have over land, air, and sea, and cyber.
03:22So, we're looking at meron tayong mga missile defense exercises.
03:30Meron tayong mga live fire exercises.
03:34We're also looking at joint training between different nations.
03:38So, very, very dynamic and ever-evolving with a lot joining and a lot of other activities na bago na
03:46inculcate natin this year.
03:48I'm sure it's going to be fruitful.
03:49Magiging interesting itong ating Balikatan exercises for this year.
03:53But for Colonel Bunn, since you mentioned earlier that you've been joining the Balikatan exercises for the previous years,
03:59what has stood out to you so far about working alongside with Filipinos, you know, with Filipino soldiers,
04:05either in terms of training style or approach to missions?
04:08I'd like to, you know, so that's a great question.
04:10Our Philippine allies and the armed forces of the Philippines have always demonstrated a calm professionalism
04:17and a steady commitment to participating with us in all types of exercises.
04:22As Colonel Badia mentioned, there's a wide range of operations.
04:26We call them joint all-domain operations.
04:29And what I mean by that, we talk about space, cyber, and our traditional domains,
04:35such as maritime domain, the land domain, and the air domain.
04:38So it's always been pleasing to work with our Philippine allies and professionalism
04:43and just the friendship that we have together as nations.
04:47Speaking of friendship, how do you think local communities will benefit from this exercise?
04:51That's an important question.
04:52As was already mentioned, the civil engineering operations that are occurring.
04:57But also, I do believe that there is an economic benefit to having United States
05:04and other international participants here.
05:05What I would like to also mention is we go to great lengths to reduce the impact on the local
05:12populace.
05:13We go to great lengths to, say, travel on the roads at night to the max extent possible.
05:18And we really are sensitive to the local population during these exercises.
05:23Well, for Colonel Badia, I know we've been doing this Balikitan exercise for the past years.
05:28Paano po natin nasisigurado na may ibibigay ng AFP yung safety pagdating sa local communities as we do these exercises?
05:38Well, for these exercises, safety is paramount.
05:40So una talaga, way before we conduct these exercises, talagang very heavy na yung coordination natin with the local government
05:47units.
05:47So with that, we make sure that the proper protocols are in place, security protocols.
05:54Meron tayong coordination sa kanila.
05:56Yung exercise area natin talagang off-limits ito sa mga civilians.
06:01Hindi lang yan.
06:03Of course, before nga, meron tayong mga activities that we have already put into play,
06:08which is infrastructure projects, meron tayong mga medical missions.
06:12So other than the exercises itself, nararamdaman siya ng ating mga kababayan in a sense na may lasting impact siya
06:20sa mga communities.
06:22Okay.
06:22And well, we make sure as well that paano po nila, like para po sa kaalaman ng ating kababayan,
06:30paano po ba sila may kinabang dito?
06:32Ano po bang dapat asahan ng ating mga publiko dito sa ating Balikitan exercise?
06:37Well, as I said, yung itong Balikitan exercises, hindi lang siya exercise in a way na more on the defense.
06:44Ang kasama dito is meron tayong on the other side of things, the humanitarian side of things.
06:49So and yan nga yung medical missions that we perform, meron tayong infrastructure projects,
06:56mga iba't ibang humanitarian and civic activities that we are putting into play.
07:02So even when the Balikitan exercises are over, nando doon pa rin yung impact sa communities natin.
07:11Kasi nga may naiwan tayo na sort of legacy nitong exercises in the individual communities.
07:18And this year, hindi tayo, dati kasi, in one or two places lang.
07:25Ngayon, sobrang lawak ng exercise area natin, so to speak.
07:29Well, for Colonel Bunn, beyond the tactical training, how do you think this kind of cooperation contributes to broader regional
07:36stability in the Indo-Pacific,
07:38given that our country is facing the conflicts in terms of territory?
07:44Thank you, Joshua. That's a great question.
07:46I know that the expansive participation of this year's Balikitan represents a commitment,
07:52not just by the Philippines and the United States, but the other nations participating, to a free and open Indo
07:58-Pacific.
07:58I think it's worth noting that we have multiple participants this year, more than we've ever had in the past.
08:04If I remember correctly, Japan, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and France are all participating this year.
08:12And I think that demonstrates, number one, the leadership of the Philippines to take on the mantle of promoting regional
08:18security,
08:19but also the commitment of all these nations to a free and open Pacific.
08:23All right. Well, Colonel Padilla, you're two cents worth on that.
08:26Tatingin po ninyo paano ito makakatulong in terms of yung paninindigan ng ating bansa, sa ating teritoryo,
08:34sa kabila ng ating hinaharap na conflicts, I mean, in terms of sa ating karagatan?
08:39Well, of course, tayo, we are a defensive nation.
08:42Yes.
08:42So, ito talaga yung pinaka-focus natin.
08:44So, with these exercises na makita mo nga, very heavy din siya, not just on the kinetic side of things,
08:49but also on the non-kinetic side of things.
08:51So, nandun yung humanitarian aspect nitong exercises natin.
08:55So, napapakita natin, no, na in a peaceful manner, how we are strengthening our defenses in terms of this area.
09:04So, we are all, all nations are working towards one common goal, to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific.
09:10So, emphasis natin dito is yung freedom of navigation, no, and of course, to maintain itong status dito sa areas
09:18na ito.
09:19Okay. Well, lastly, for Colonel Ban, for you personally, what makes participating in Balikatan different from other exercises you've taken
09:28part in?
09:29Well, personally, I've come here a couple times now, and it's always different every time because of the different roles
09:35that we play.
09:36As we come across in the military, we come up through different roles.
09:39But every time that I come here, I'm always amazed by the warmth and the professionalism of the Philippine allies,
09:47and always makes it a very pleasant and good experience to be here for Balikatan.
09:53And the expansive terrain, the maritime environment, it's just that much better for us to train in this operations.
09:59All right. Well, for Colonel Padilla, lastly po, minsanay niyo po sa ating mga kabayan,
10:03ano pong maaari nilang asahan para saan po itong Balikatan and your bahayag po?
10:09Well, ito pong Balikatan shows partnerships and preparation.
10:14Ito ay paghahanda in any eventuality.
10:18Ipinapakita nito na ang kahandaan ay napaka-importante para sa ating depensa.
10:23So, with that, there's two words that we really would like to highlight here.
10:27It's integration and interoperability.
10:30So, we're trying to integrate all of our efforts together with different nations,
10:34trying to show our interoperability, interoperability clause on how we would be communicating with one another,
10:41how we would be operating beside each other.
10:44So, this Balikatan exercises is really very important for the Philippines.
10:49As we have shown, the U.S. are strong partnerships through the years, our longest ally,
10:57and our partnerships with different nations, with more and more nations joining us.
11:02And with this, ang gusto natin iparating dito, with this year, we're celebrating the 10th year anniversary of our arbitral
11:12win.
11:12So, ang gusto natin i-emphasize dito, of course, ang battle cry pa rin natin is our cease, our rise
11:19and our future.
11:20And ang gusto nga natin dito, ipakita din ng bawat mamamayang Pilipino ang kanilang suporta.
11:24Hindi lang po ito sa AFP o sa Coast Guard o sa BIFAR.
11:28Ito po ay para sa bawat mamamayang Pilipino.
11:31So, ang ating pong karagatan, ang ating karapatan, at ang ating kinabukasan, ating pong alamin, ipaglaban at suportahan.
11:38At ang pinu-plug nga natin dito, Joshua, kapag Pilipino ka, dapat ipakita natin sa mundo ito.
11:44And meron po tayong hand signal dyan.
11:46Ito po yung West Philippine Sea sa puso atin ito.
11:50Our seas, our rights, our future.
11:53For Colonel Ban, your message to the Filipino people.
11:55My message is that we appreciate their welcoming spirit and that it's an honor to serve alongside our Philippine allies
12:03in the nation of the Philippines.
12:04Our ironclad alliance is something that is unbreakable and it's a pleasure and honor to be a part of.
12:10On that note, maraming maraming salamat po sa inyong oras and thank you for sharing with us all the information
12:15about Ibalikatan 2026.
12:17Colonel Fransel Margareth Padilla, ang tagapagsalita ng Armed Forces of the Philippines,
12:22and to Colonel Robert Ban, Marine Air Ground Task Force Deputy Commander of United States Marine Corps.
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