US reaffirms commitment to PH despite Middle East conflict — Brawner

The United States remains firmly committed to its alliance with the Philippines despite ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief General Romeo Brawner Jr. said Monday.

Speaking at the opening of the Balikatan 2026 exercises, Brawner said he received the assurance from United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) chief Admiral Samuel Paparo.

“I was in a conversation with my counterpart, Admiral Samuel Paparo, the commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, during the start of the conflict in the Middle East,” Brawner said.

“He assured me that despite the conflict happening now in the Middle East and elsewhere around the world, the commitment of the US is still strong, and that this year’s Balikatan exercise will be, in his own words, the biggest ever,” he added.

US Marine Corps Lieutenant General Christian Wortman, commanding general of the I Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF), said tensions in the Middle East have had minimal impact on this year’s Balikatan exercises.

“There have only been very minor changes to the exercise forces participating in Balikatan due to emergent requirements,” Wortman said.

“All exercise objectives for the US and our shared objectives—the major components of the exercise—remain consistent and fully supportable. So no, there were no changes to the exercise as a result of global operations,” he added.

Wortman also clarified that the presence of US troops in the Philippines is solely for training purposes, dismissing concerns that the exercise could serve as a staging ground for US operations in the Middle East.

“I can't speak for decisions that might be made by our senior-most civilian leadership,” Wortman said.

“All of the US exercise forces are here to accomplish the exercise objectives, with no plan for this to become any kind of launch point. The focus is entirely on the successful execution of the exercise,” he added.—MCG, GMA News