The annual Balikatan military exercises have evolved beyond a purely bilateral drill. They are now focused on preparing to help defend the Philippines amid rising regional tensions, according to United States Indo-Pacific Command chief Admiral Samuel Paparo.

Paparo cited increasing coercive activities and territorial disputes in the region as reasons behind the expanded scope of the annual exercises.

“That’s a direct expression of the dangers that we’re living in. We’ve seen coercive activities in the last few months. We’ve seen the penetration of territorial waters. We’ve seen unilateral announcements of excessive claims. We see that backed up with force,” Paparo said during the closing ceremony of Balikatan 2026 at Camp Aguinaldo over the weekend.

“And I think we see signs all around us that we’re living in a dangerous environment,” he added.

Paparo said there are “neighbors with excessive claims and territorial disputes with every one of their neighbors, including the Republic of the Philippines.”

“I see signs abound that we’re living in a tense and dangerous environment with active coercion ongoing. And the Philippines, certainly, Philippine fisherfolk, Philippine Coast Guard experience it every day,” he said.

Direct threat

He described these actions as a “direct threat” to the Philippines’ sovereignty, prosperity, and freedom.

This year’s Balikatan exercise showcased major missile capabilities of allied forces for the first time in the Philippines.

Among them was the launch of a Tomahawk cruise missile using the US military’s Typhon medium-range capability (MRC) missile system in Leyte, Tacloban.

The drills also featured the firing of two Type 88 surface-to-ship missiles by the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force in Ilocos Norte —the first time Japan fired such missiles overseas as part of a military exercise.