US and Philippines launch 10-year joint military disaster-response program to strengthen alliance

Senior military officers from the Armed Forces of the Philippines and six partner nations completed the 10th-anniversary iteration of a collaborative disaster response training curriculum at Camp Emilio Aguinaldo in Quezon City from August 4 to 6, 2026.

The milestone marks a decade of an educational partnership launched in 2016, when the U.S. Pacific Command’s Center for Excellence in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance (CFE-DM) worked with the AFP Command and General Staff College to integrate a dedicated Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response module into the college’s curriculum.

“We are proud of this ten-year partnership with the Armed Forces of the Philippines Command and General Staff College,” said CFE-DM Deputy Director Steve Castonguay. “The Philippines is a nation prone to natural disasters, and their armed forces are regularly called upon to lead frontline response efforts. This disaster response course is essential in preparing senior AFP leaders to integrate seamlessly with the international community and civilian humanitarian actors during emergency operations.”

This year’s course brought together 204 senior field-grade officers, including 192 from the Philippines and 12 international students representing Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia, the Republic of Korea, Thailand, and Cambodia. The program was co-facilitated by a specialized instructor team from CFE-DM and featured guest instruction from regional civilian partners, including the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Philippines and the UN World Food Programme Philippines.

Over three days, students examined international frameworks, norms, and coordination mechanisms used by assisting state militaries and civilian aid organizations, with practical application exercises forming the core of the curriculum. In one scenario, participants acted as staff of the AFP Northern Luzon Command, drafting operational plans and courses of action for a simulated Category 5 typhoon making landfall in Northern Luzon alongside a concurrent eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in Central Luzon.

Organizers underscored the importance of building a shared understanding of civil-military coordination before crises, noting that advance planning helps integrate military assets effectively with local and international relief efforts. The decade-long collaboration highlights how sustained investments in senior leader education can strengthen regional self-reliance, deepen alliance interoperability, and enhance readiness to save lives and alleviate human suffering during emergencies.