The Philippine Army is all set to conduct its first-ever large-scale Combined Arms Training Exercise, also coined at CATEX “Katihan,” aimed at bolstering the service’s shift to territorial defense operations.

More than 5,000 soldiers are expected to join the military exercises to be held in various camps in Nueva Ecija and Tarlac with a primary goal to effectively test the Army’s capability to move, maneuver, and sustain large-scale forces during combat operations.

Col. Louie Dema-ala, the Philippine Army spokesperson, said at least 4,706 dismounted contingents and 1,463 mounted contingents from various Army units in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao are set to participate in the various military drills. 

The “dismounted contingent”s refers to units without any transport while “mounted contingents” are troops serving in motorized, armor, and tracked artillery formations.

"As the Philippine Army evolves its unit training to address the fast-changing security environment, it is paramount to conduct the CATEX," Dema-ala said

The exercise, he added, is anchored on the Philippine Army’s Implementing Plan “Maragtas.”

“The design of the various unit training involving different warfighting functions will be integrated to exercise combined arms operations as the highest form of unit training involving maneuver, maneuver support, maneuver service support, and reserve units,” Dema-ala said. 

Dema-ala said the CATEX is expected to wrap up on 18 March,  through an After Activity Review that will be held at the Training and Doctrine Command's headquarters in Camp O’Donnell, Capas, Tarlac.