The Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) and U.S. Marine Corps officially commenced the annual "Kaagapay ng mga Mandirigma Mula sa Dagat" (KAMANDAG) Exercise 09-25 on May 26, 2025 at Marine Barracks Rudiardo Brown, Taguig City.
Presided over by Philippine Marine Corps Commandant MGen Arturo G. Rojas PN(M), the ceremony marked the start of the annual bilateral training designed to enhance interoperability and readiness for joint territorial defense, particularly focused on archipelagic coastal defense in the dynamic Indo-Pacific region. He underscored the exercise as a demonstration of allied and partner commitment to regional peace and stability, not confrontation.
This year's KAMANDAG iteration expands its multinational participation to include forces from Japan, South Korea, and the British Armed Forces, with observers from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, France, Indonesia, Netherlands, New Zealand, and Thailand.
