By Priam Nepomuceno
MANILA – At least 4,000 Filipino and American troops will participate in the weeklong “Kamandag” military exercise, which started Monday at Marine Barracks Rudiardo Brown in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.
“Kamandag” (venom), short for “Kaagapay ng mga Mandirigma mula sa Dagat” or Partners of Warriors from the Sea, is an annual bilateral exercise between the Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) and the US Marine Corps (USMC).
The PMC said 2,028 Filipino participants from the PMC, Marine reservists, Philippine National Police and Philippine Coast Guard, are taking part in the exercises in multiple sites across Central and Northern Luzon.
On the US side, 2,031 USMC members are involved in the drills.
Held annually since 2016, Kamandag focuses on enhancing joint capabilities in responding to security challenges in the Indo-Pacific region.
Activities include command and control training, maritime security, coastal defense, live-fire drills and special operations. (PNA)
