The Philippine Army said it has started laying out its Army-to-Army bilateral engagement plans for 2024 with its Australian counterparts.

Deputy Chief of the Australian Army MGen. Natasha Fox paid a courtesy call on Philippine Army Chief Lt. Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. at the Philippine Army headquarters in Fort Bonifacio, Metro Manila on 24 May. In a statement Thursday, Philippine Army spokesperson Col. Xerxes Trinidad said Fox, along with Australian Defense Attaché to the Philippines Col. Paul Joseph Barta, attended the 6th Philippine-Australia staff talks here in the country.

Key officers from the Philippine Army and Australian Army have reviewed and updated the current bilateral activities this year along with the discussion to begin the next year’s military activities.

This year’s third iteration of the Philippines-Australia Exercise Kasangga 23-2 commenced on 15 May at Camp Gen. Mateo Capinpin, Tanay, Rizal,  just over two weeks after the biggest Balikatan Exercise 2023, with more than100 Australian soldiers training side-by-side with American and Filipino troops.

Trinidad said Fox underscored the contributions of the Philippine Army soldiers in developing the jungle warfare operations skills of the Australian troops during the Kasangga 23-2 training, which will conclude on 23 June.

Brawner, meanwhile, thanked the Australian Army soldiers for helping Philippine Army troops further develop skills on counter-terrorism operations.

“Lt. Gen. Brawner also highlighted the strong defense relations between the Philippines and Australia as well as the increased interoperability between the Philippine Army and Australian Army through the conduct of regular bilateral training exercises,” Trinidad added.