The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) launched its annual joint exercise on Monday, focusing on multi-service interoperability and capability development.

AFP Chief General Romeo Brawner Jr. emphasized that the AFP Joint Exercise (AJEX) DAGITPA 08-2024 reflects the military’s commitment to an operationally focused framework, simulating their Territorial Defense Plan and initiatives for a Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept.

“We stand ready to confront real-world challenges head-on, ensuring we safeguard our nation's interests with determination and courage,” he stated.

This year marks the eighth iteration of the AFP's joint exercises, which will take place in various operational jurisdictions of the Western Command and Northern Luzon Command until 15 November.

In an interview at Camp Aguinaldo, Brawner noted that AJEX DAGITPA 08-2024 also includes an Information Warfighter Exercise aimed at enhancing the military’s strategic communications in modern defense operations. “We initiated this during the previous AJEX iteration, where our cyber warriors trained to defend our networks from cyber attacks,” he explained.

Meanwhile, AJEX DAGITPA 08-2024 Exercise Director MGen. Marvin Licudine said the multi-service military training would strengthen soldiers’ capacity to handle humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR), particularly in Batanes province.

“I was already discussing with the Northern Luzon Command commander what will happen and he also informed me about the relief operations that will be going on in Batanes with the use of the ships that were once allocated for the exercise,” he said.

Licudine stressed China is expected to monitor the country’s show of force as some of the exercises are set to be conducted in the disputed West Philippine Sea, across the Palawan Islands.

“We have done the contingencies in the planning and of course, we expect that our Chinese counterparts will be monitoring us and doing some things maybe but our planners have planned and prepared for contingencies in the process,” he said.

Licudine also noted that the AJEX DAGITPA 08-2024 will also serve as the AFP’s preparations for the upcoming Philippines-United States Exercise Balikatan-40 2025.

“It will be a full battle test for the AFP and we have to train our people, prepare them, and have that kind of operationalization and integration between the Army, the Navy and the Air Force so that it would be seamless and that we would be cohesive in the process of our execution,” he added.

DAGIT-PA executive agent Col. Michael Logico said they expect China to “respond the same way have always responded” to the country’s operations in the WPS.

“This is not aimed at anybody. This is purposely conducted to improve our combat readiness and to guarantee that our joint forces are fully competent and proficient to carry out their mandate,” Logico stressed.

Beijing has vast claims over the entire South China Sea, which encroached on the Philippines’ sovereignty in its exclusive economic zone in the WPS.