AFP starts training to extend fighting capability for up to 30 days
The Armed Forces of the Philippines said on Tuesday it is preparing to “fight on its own” for up to 30 days if conflict erupts, as it opened this year’s iteration of its largest joint military exercise aimed at strengthening self-reliant defense capabilities under a newly activated command structure.
AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said the ninth Armed Forces Joint Exercise Dagat, Langit at Lupa (AJEX Dagit-PA 09-2025) seeks to bolster the country’s ability to sustain operations independently, even as the Philippines deepens cooperation with allies such as the United States, Australia and Japan.
“The order of the President is that we should be able to fight and preserve our forces for at least 20 to 30 days,” Brawner told reporters on the sidelines of the exercise’s opening ceremony at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City. “We have to rely on ourselves first. That is why our exercises are continuous.”
“And definitely, because we have a Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) with our only treaty ally, the United States, we are expecting that when there is trouble, of course, we will go to war first. But we are also expecting reinforcements or help from our ally, and this is under the MDT,” he added.
First line of defense
Brawner said the military must be prepared to fight independently in the early phase of any potential conflict before its allies can mobilize.
“If a war or conflict breaks out in our area, our allies and partners expect us to fight the war ourselves during the initial phase of the conflict,” he said in a speech at the opening ceremony. “We will be the ones to fight first, which is why our Unilateral Defense Plan (UDP) and this ongoing exercise are so important.”
Running from Nov. 4 to Nov. 14, AJEX Dagit-PA 09-2025 is being held across multiple locations in Luzon and Palawan, bringing together units from the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps in simulated land, air and maritime operations. The 10-day exercise is designed to strengthen interoperability and enhance the AFP’s capacity to respond to a wide range of security challenges.
The annual unilateral exercise also involves the Philippine Coast Guard and the Philippine National Police, reflecting the AFP’s whole-of-government approach to defense and crisis response. Reserve forces are also participating in combined and joint missions to improve integration across all services.
New training audience
This year’s AJEX Dagit-PA likewise marks the first major training activity under the newly formed AFP Strategic Command, which replaces the General Headquarters Battle Staff as the main training audience. The new command will oversee unified operations during national crises, addressing structural gaps identified in past exercises.
Activated just last week, the Strategic Command is designed to act as the military’s operational brain during wartime, allowing the AFP chief of staff to focus on advising the President while ensuring continuity of combat leadership on the ground.
Brawner said the command’s establishment is part of a broader shift under the revised UDP, which updates earlier doctrines like UDP Agila to account for new domains of warfare such as cyber, information, electromagnetic and space.
The UDP serves as the AFP’s plan to maintain independent combat operations until reinforcements from allied and partner nations can respond.
