Pacific Partnership 2026 concludes with final stop in Tacloban City, Philippines

The U.S. Navy-led Pacific Partnership 2026 wrapped up its final mission stop in Tacloban City and the surrounding Palo municipality in Leyte with a wreath-laying ceremony at MacArthur Leyte Landing Memorial National Park on Sept. 28, 2026, capping a visit that coincided with the 75th anniversary of the U.S.-Philippines alliance.

“Intertwined by history and shared ideals, it is fitting to conclude Pacific Partnership 2026 in Tacloban City, home of our oldest mutual defense ally in the region,” said Capt. Robert Reyes, mission commander of PP26. “Throughout the Philippines mission stop and the entirety of this 22nd iteration of Pacific Partnership, like-minded allies and partners united towards the common goal of disaster preparedness: standing ready to answer when called upon, and reaffirming our shared commitment to regional stability and security.”

Starting Sept. 21, a combined team of 376 service members from the United States and partner nations—Canada, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom—worked with Armed Forces of the Philippines counterparts across four lines of effort: engineering, disaster management, host nation outreach, and medical.

Engineering teams from the U.S. Navy Seabees of Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 5 and Amphibious Construction Battalion 1 joined the AFP 546th Engineer Construction Battalion and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Dispatching Engineer Unit to complete school infrastructure and water projects. Work included pouring a concrete slab and repairing a roof truss at a two-room schoolhouse at Lorenzo Daa Memorial School, and installing a deep-well pump and waterline at Santa Elena Elementary School. “The AFP and JMSDF demonstrated what true partnership looks like through their strong work ethic, seamless integration, and willingness to share knowledge,” said U.S. Navy Ensign Ryan Robertson, Philippines mission stop fly-in echelon officer in charge. “The hands-on engineering work was a great example of how working side by side and sharing expertise makes everyone stronger and better prepared for future missions.”

Disaster management personnel conducted five engagements. The U.S. Coast Guard led a two-day hazardous materials subject-matter expert exchange with local military and first responders and, alongside the Office of Civil Defense in Tacloban, held an Incident Command System exchange to bolster a common framework for managing large-scale maritime emergencies, natural disasters, and security threats. The Hawai’i National Guard delivered nine days of urban search and rescue training, while the Center for Excellence in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance joined the Coast Guard for a tabletop exercise. U.S. Army Civil Affairs held two civil engagements with a local women’s shelter and education staff and partnered with the medical line of effort for community health engagements to promote preparedness for the general population and vulnerable groups. “The disaster management team consisted of personnel from the U.S. Coast Guard, Hawai’i National Guard, U.S. Army Civil Affairs, and the Center for Excellence in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance,” said U.S. Army Capt. Julia Berry, the Philippines PP26 mission stop disaster management lead. “This team worked alongside AFP and Filipino civilian disaster management agencies during all training and community events. We all enjoyed the kindness and hospitality of our Filipino counterparts, which added to the value and strength of the relationships developed during the mission stop. As a result, training was effective in highlighting the importance of shared planning, leveraging incident command systems, and enhancing disaster preparedness and response capabilities amongst all participants. Through all of this hard work, this mission stop accomplished the goal of demonstrating strong partnership and working together to build more resilient communities.”

Host nation outreach efforts featured 12 command religious program events and religious key leader engagements that brought together 600 people from five faith groups. Eleven band performances and music exchanges reached more than 3,000 attendees, with live radio appearances extending to more than 1.5 million listeners in the Tacloban region. Five engagements with non-governmental organizations involved 500 administrators, houseparent trainers, students, and security personnel. “Music is one of the fastest ways to build trust,” said U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Joel Thiesfeldt, PP26 bandmaster. “In Tacloban, we played for schools, shoppers at Robinsons mall, radio listeners, and ceremony guests, and every time, the people of Leyte met us with open arms and often joined right in. That’s the heart of Pacific Partnership. The connections made here will last well beyond this year’s mission.”

The medical line of effort conducted 10 engagements, uniting 85 U.S. and partner-nation personnel with Philippine healthcare professionals, students, and community organizations. Activities included clinical exchanges, workshops, health screenings, and hands-on training during community health engagements in four neighborhoods, totaling 153 clinical hours across specialties such as nursing, pediatrics, dental care, rehabilitation, behavioral health, preventive medicine, and undersea medicine. Health education and screenings reached 6,806 participants, and medical teams integrated with disaster management drills to simulate support during maritime and humanitarian emergencies. “Our medical engagements in the Philippines were centered on community health engagements, bringing health services and education directly to communities at the barangay level,” said U.S. Navy Lt. Shiela Pasco, the Philippines PP26 mission stop medical lead. “By working side by side with our Filipino healthcare partners, we were able to exchange knowledge, learn from one another and connect directly with the communities we served. These engagements are about more than providing care. They are about building lasting partnerships, strengthening community resilience, and improving our ability to work together when it matters most.”

“Hosting Pacific Partnership 2026 was an honor and grateful opportunity for the 8th Infantry Division, Philippine Army,” said AFP Maj. Gen. Peter Burgonio, commander of Joint Task Force Storm. “For the AFP, our years of participation in Pacific Partnership demonstrates our goal to constantly strengthen our capability for humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, regional cooperation, capacity building and military diplomacy. This mission has given us the opportunity to do so hand-in-hand with key allies, and local partners. These last two weeks, many nations have come together to learn from one another and support each other’s growth. That is partnership in action.”

This marked the 14th visit of Pacific Partnership to the Philippines and the third in Tacloban City. PP26 ran from June 1 to Sept. 29 with mission stops in Vietnam, Indonesia, Timor-Leste, Malaysia, and the Philippines, along with enduring efforts in Fiji and Palau. Now in its 22nd iteration, the series is described as the largest annual, multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster management preparedness mission in the Indo-Pacific, working with host and partner nations to enhance regional interoperability and response capabilities, increase security and stability, and foster enduring friendships.