Philippines, Japan air forces hold interoperability exercises in Cebu

The Philippine Air Force (PAF) and the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) held the Closing Ceremony of the sixth iteration of the Doshin-Bayanihan at the Brigadier General Benito N Ebuen Air Base, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu on 8 October 2026.

According to the PAF, the personnel of the PAF and JASDF conducted bilateral air mobility and aircrew training activities using C-130 aircraft, strengthening coordination and interoperability in air operations.

The exercise also featured mass casualty management, aeromedical evacuation, and tactical evacuation drills to enhance joint capabilities in casualty response during humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR) missions.

The successful completion of Doshin-Bayanihan 6-26 underscores the enduring defense partnership between the Philippines and Japan, reinforcing bilateral interoperability and collective readiness to respond to humanitarian emergencies and disasters.

Doshin-Bayanihan 6-26 is the sixth iteration of the bilateral humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) military exercise between the PAF and the JASDF, which officially concluded on October 8, 2026. The name reflects the core spirit of the alliance: “Doshin” means “same mind” in Japanese, and “Bayanihan” signifies “mutual support” or communal unity in Filipino.

The six-day drills officially commenced on 4 October 2026, with operational maneuvers spanning across the Philippine archipelago to build distributed logistics experience. These areas include the Brigadier General Benito N. Ebuen Air Base (Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu), Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport (Tacloban, Leyte), and Puerto Princesa International Airport (Palawan).