The presence of the United States (US) troops at the Lumbia Air Base in Barangay Lumbia, Cagayan de Oro City is not related to the ongoing tension in the Middle East, the Philippine Army’s 4th Infantry Division (4ID) said on Thursday, March 12, 2026.

4ID said around 50 American soldiers arrived in the city on Wednesday to participate in a two-week Balikatan exercises under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).

4ID spokesperson, Lt. Col. Joe Patrick Martinez, said the joint military exercise is focused on humanitarian assistance and disaster response preparations, as well as interoperability operations between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and US forces.

“Naa sila diri for training purposes both humanitarian assistance and disaster response preparations and some interoperability operations with the Armed Forces and the US Forces,” Martinez said.

Martinez clarified that the training is a short-term activity and is not related to ongoing tensions in the West Philippine Sea or conflicts in the Middle East.

The Lumbia Air Base is among the nine military bases in the Philippines designated as EDCA sites under the 2014 defense agreement between the Philippine and US governments. The remaining eight sites are located in Luzon and the Visayas.

Martinez said similar training exercises were conducted previously with the Australian Armed Forces in the third quarter of 2025.

“Third quarter of last year we had this training with the Armed forces Australia similar to what we are doing now the US Armed Forces,” Martinez added.

4ID assured the public that it will provide updates to prevent misinformation and speculation regarding the presence of American troops in the city.