Balikatan 2026: Armed Forces of the Philippines hosts first senior enlisted symposium for joint exercises

Senior enlisted leaders from the Armed Forces of the Philippines hosted the inaugural Senior Enlisted Symposium at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City from April 25-27 as part of Exercise Balikatan 2026, bringing together counterparts from the Philippines, the United States, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Canada, and France.

The three-day forum sought to align enlisted priorities among allies and partners, deepen mutual awareness, and reinforce relationships to improve coordination for future challenges. New Zealand Army Warrant Officer Class One Michael Yorwarth, deputy senior enlisted leader, opened the conference by urging participants to share perspectives shaped by themes of ironclad alliances, capable combined and joint forces, and an enduring commitment to regional security and stability. “As senior enlisted leaders, we drive interoperability at the tactical level,” Yorwarth said. “In essence, we get things done.”

A keynote address by Philippine Army Col. Francel Margareth A. Padilla, commander of the Army’s 7th Signal Battalion and spokesperson for the AFP, highlighted maritime security priorities and the importance of mutual partnerships to keep the region free and open. “We [Philippines] are not an expansionist country, we are a defensive country,” she said. Padilla also outlined areas for senior enlisted focus, including awareness of social media cyber-attacks and approaches to counter online misinformation.

Throughout the event, participants exchanged expertise on defensive posture and ways to advance partnership. U.S. Marine Corps Master Gunnery Sgt. Craig A. Evans, operations chief for Marine Corps Forces Pacific, helped organize the symposium to align with command leadership standards, using Balikatan as the operational framework. “We recognize that, as we strengthen our ties among allies [at Balikatan], we have an opportunity to capitalize on what we can learn from each other,” Evans said. “If we’re going to be abroad, we want to appreciate and learn from each other.” He noted that senior leadership emphasizes mutual respect at Balikatan to raise the standard of enlisted leadership across the force.

Chief Master Sgt. Marlon Manlogat, assistant sergeant major for the Philippine Army and deputy to the sergeant major of the AFP, underscored the value of collaboration among partner nations. “This is good for all,” Manlogat said. “We can learn a lot from each partner nation and encourage interoperability, which will have a good effect on unit participation back home.” He added that lessons shared among senior enlisted leaders would be passed to junior non-commissioned officers for broader dissemination. “Balikatan has been going on for many years, and this is a good chance to learn from our friendly forces,” he said.

Leaders took part in partner briefings, targeted lectures, cultural exchanges, and a group athletic exercise designed to build trust and strengthen professional ties. While previous Balikatan iterations included senior leader symposiums for commissioned officers, this year marked the first structured forum dedicated to senior enlisted leaders, mirroring the officers’ program to advance partnership and mutual understanding within enlisted ranks.

“Our ultimate goal is to share lessons learned, draw upon the bond and relationship-building Balikatan promotes, and have an appreciation for our partners,” concluded Master Gunnery Sgt. Evans.

Balikatan is a longstanding annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military.