The Philippine Army announced on Monday the expansion of its large-scale Combined Arms Training Exercise (CATEX)-Katihan, underscoring the need to enhance combat readiness and command capabilities across the country.

Army Commanding General Lt. Gen. Roy Galido said this year’s CATEX-Katihan, scheduled from 3-12 March, will focus on command and control training in strategic locations nationwide.

“This exercise will test our combat readiness and demonstrate our adaptability and ability to execute complex high-stake operations with precision,” Galido told defense reporters during a press conference at Army headquarters in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.

He added, “We are confident that the outcome of this exercise will strengthen our command and control capabilities, further enhancing our preparedness to respond to any challenge that may threaten our national security,”

The training will involve live-fire exercises showcasing army units' capabilities in various land maneuvers. Galido explained that last year’s exercise was the first instance of consolidating a large-scale force to simulate an adversary’s action. This year, the focus is on mobilizing and coordinating forces across the country in the event of a national crisis or territorial defense scenario.

“Now, if we would want to simulate a crisis, a national crisis situation when it comes to territorial defense, it's the Army's ability for command and control. Meaning wherever you are located in the country, you should be able to command and control the forces,” he further explained.

Galido emphasized the need to continue training on the mobilization of army units, noting the importance of “command and control” capabilities among military services.

“This is what we will be focusing on. We can mobilize our units anywhere in the country, and move them from one area to another as we have displayed and presented in last year. Now, it's our concept of command and control,” he said.

During the CATEX-Katihan, Galido said the Philippine Army will utilize platforms that could deliver fires including military tanks and artilleries.

“That's the role of the Army, to be able to prevent the physical occupation of the land and to be able to push them back in case the scenario would exist. This time we are rehearsing mobilization in Mindanao and in the Visayas region. So we are now expanding,” he said.

Galido noted the exercise is part of the Army’s contribution to the military’s strategic shift to external security operations under the Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept (CADC).

“We are rehearsing how the Army should be performing its role in territorial defense, which, as we have mentioned, has never been done before because we are focused on internal security,” he added.

“Because it's only through this exercise where we will identify, again, our gaps and challenges which we propose intervention to rectify to strengthen the Army's capability to be able to perform its role on territorial defense,” he noted.

Further, Galido stressed the need to improve the army’s mobilization capabilities.

“We are mobilizing in Mindanao because a bulk of our forces, the Army forces, is in Mindanao and then we are mobilizing in Visayas. You have to understand that our country is archipelagic, and moving forces from one area to another is difficult. This is what we are trying to understand and define the gaps so we would have solutions to it once the situation arises,” Galido explained, citing the mobilization of huge forces from Mindanao during World War II.

This year's CATEX-Katihan will be joined by at least 6,000 soldiers from various army units in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.