The Philippine Army trained with their Australian counterparts on jungle survival and combat tracking drills as part of their ongoing bilateral exercise “Kasangga” this year.

Army spokesperson Col. Louie Dema-ala said the military drills took place on the slopes of Mount Isarog, Camarines Sur, earlier this week.

During the exercise, Dema-ala said platoons composed of 47 Filipino soldiers and 50 Australian Army personnel trekked eight kilometers from Brgy. Tinangis in Pili to Brgy. Panicuason in Naga City while executing mock jungle survival, tracking techniques, and patrol base operations.

He added that the Filipino and Australian armies trained on how to source water, identify edible plants and animals, and set traps in their exercise terrains.

“The Australian Army participants expressed appreciation for the skills learned and gained a deeper respect for the challenges Filipino soldiers face in the field,” Dema-ala noted.

A total of 266 Filipino soldiers and 50 Australian soldiers are currently participating in the Philippine Army-Australian Army Exercise (PAAAE) “KASANGGA” 2024-2—an inaugural combined training exercise that aims to enhance the skills and bolster the interoperability of both armies in various war-fighting functions.

The combined exercise, scheduled from 14 October to 8 November, covers critical areas such as urban operations, close combat techniques, combat shooting, and tactical casualty care.

Dema-ala said the soldiers also trained on explosive assault breaching, cybersecurity operations, mortar gunnery with forward observers, and Civil-Military Operations (CMO) exchanges.