The Philippine Marine Corps and the United States Marine Corps have officially opened a 12-day joint exercise in Northern Luzon focused on enhancing combined air, sea, and land capabilities.
The Maritime and Aviation Support Activity (MASA) 2026 commenced Monday, September 7, at the 4th Marine Brigade headquarters in Cape Bojeador, Burgos, Ilocos Norte. The drills run through September 18 across key locations in Northern Luzon, Cavite, and Metro Manila.
Brig. Gen. Bob R. Apostol, commander of the 4th Marine Brigade, highlighted that the training intends to sharpen troop readiness for coastal and island warfare.
“We gather here with one clear purpose: to build a force that is ready and strengthen a partnership that endures. MASA 2026 turns preparation into action, testing plans, pushing capabilities, and forging our alliance into operational strength,” Apostol said.
Centered on the Archipelagic Coastal Defense strategy, MASA 2026 involves PMC units alongside the USMC’s Marine Rotational Force Southeast Asia (MRF-SEA). Participants also include personnel from the Philippine Navy, Philippine Air Force, Philippine Coast Guard, and Philippine National Police.
The defense framework views the nation’s shorelines, islands, and maritime approaches as a unified shield.
“In the days ahead, we will rehearse maritime aviation interoperability, validate what works, confront what does not, and turn every lesson into greater capability. The true measure of this exercise MASA 2026 is not what we achieve here, it is what we can do when the real mission begins,” Apostol added.
The training schedule covers sea denial, coastal defense, maritime operations, aviation integration, command and control, information sharing, and force synchronization.
In a statement read by Maj. Charles LaMar, MRF-Logistics Combat Element operations officer, MRF-SEA commanding officer Col. Robert S. Bunn emphasized the practical value of the drills.
“MASA 2026 is a venue where preparation is translated into action, capabilities are tested, and partnership is transformed into operational strength,” Bunn said.