Philippines and US sign 2027 joint military activities plan as regional tensions remain elevated
The Philippines and the United States have formalised their defence cooperation roadmap for 2027, with AFP chief Gen. Antonio Nafarrete and US Pacific Command head Adm. Samuel John Paparo Jr. signing the 2027 Mutual Defense Board-Security Engagement Board Plan of Activities at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City on August 7, 2026.
The signing follows a bilateral meeting focused on enhancing joint training and exercises, advancing defence capability development, strengthening maritime security cooperation, and expanding collaboration in areas of shared strategic interest, the Armed Forces of the Philippines said.
Specific activities were not disclosed for security reasons, but the US Pacific Command described the signed document, referred to as an “8-Star memo” reflecting the combined seniority of the two signatories, as encompassing a range from “large-scale exercises to subject-matter-expert exchanges.”
The plan continues a partnership that has produced hundreds of bilateral activities annually in recent years, covering maritime security, humanitarian assistance, and disaster response.
Both leaders emphasised the importance of sustained engagement in addressing evolving regional security challenges and improving interoperability between the two allied armed forces. The US Pacific Command described the signing as underscoring “mutual commitment to strengthening cooperation and interoperability between the US and Philippine armed forces amid heightened regional tensions.”
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