Manila: Around 5,000 Filipino, American, and Japanese soldiers are expected to participate in the first iteration of the "Salaknib" military exercises, tentatively scheduled for April, as announced by Philippine Army (PA) chief Lt. Gen. Antonio Nafarrete during a press briefing.
According to Philippines News Agency, this marks the first participation of troops from the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) in Salaknib since the Reciprocal Access Agreement between Japan and the Philippines came into effect on September 11, 2025. The second iteration of the exercise is planned for June, shortly after the annual "Balikatan" exercises, which are scheduled from April to May.
Lt. Gen. Nafarrete noted that Salaknib is primarily a bilateral exercise between the United States and the Philippines, with an estimated 300 troops from the JGSDF joining for the upcoming drills. The exercises will focus on infantry, joint combined arms operations, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR), and other capacity-building programs. The main objective of these drills is to ensure interoperability among all participants.
Lt. Gen. Nafarrete emphasized the importance of HADR training, highlighting the frequent occurrence of typhoons in the region and the willingness of participating forces to enhance their capabilities in this area. Potential venues for the Salaknib exercises include Northern Luzon, particularly Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija.
