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MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Army on Wednesday launched a simulated territorial defense exercise in Sulu, bringing together government, security and disaster-response agencies to test their ability to coordinate during security emergencies.

The Inter-Agency Territorial Defense Operations “Orion’s Taming” Exercise 2026 was formally started by the Army’s 11th Infantry (Alakdan) Division in the province, according to the division.

As part of the exercise scenario, division commander Maj. Gen. Leonardo I. Peña recommended the activation of the Sulu Joint Inter-Agency Coordinating Center and Emergency Operations Center to Sulu Gov. Abdusakur Tan II.

Tan subsequently declared the activation, signaling the start of the simulated coordinated response.

The exercise involves local governments, security and law enforcement units, disaster-response organizations and other partner stakeholders.

The Army said the exercise is intended to test and strengthen the participants’ readiness, communication and coordination in responding to security challenges, while ensuring the safety and welfare of civilians.

Sulu Vice Gov. Abdusakur Tan also attended the activity to show the provincial government’s support for the participating agencies.

The Army clarified that the situations and events portrayed during the activity are part of a simulation and do not represent actual incidents. — Charles Errol Baldoz, intern.

At A Glance

The Philippine Navy will join India and 10 ASEAN countries in the ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise 2026 from Sept. 28 to Oct. 2.

The five-day exercise aims to strengthen maritime security, cooperation, and interoperability among participating navies in the Indo-Pacific.

The activity will be held under the theme "Anchored in Trust, United at Sea," with the Philippines and India serving as designated hosts.

Every year, the Argentinian Military Ordinariate sends a priest to serve the people who reside on Argentina's Antarctic bases.

The first Argentinian priest to spend the winter on the White Continent was 41 year old priest, Fr. Francisco Roverano.

Rome Reports is an international news agency covering the Pope, the Vatican, Rome and the Catholic Church, as well as major social, cultural and religious debates

Aug 2 (Reuters) - Swiss building materials ‌supplier Holcim Group (HOLN.S), opens new tab said on Sunday it plans to sell its Philippines business to China's Huaxin Building Materials (600801.SS), opens new tab in a deal that could raise at least $807 million.

Holcim will sell an initial 68% stake for $527 million with ​the remainder to be sold over the next three to five years for a ​minimum price of $280 million.

This would lead to an overall valuation of $807 million, although ⁠the figure could rise "based on incremental value creation during this period," Holcim said.

The sale, which ​is expected to be completed in the first half of 2027, is Holcim's biggest divestment since ​it sold its Nigeria business, also to Huaxin Cement, in a $1 billion deal in December 2024.

Money raised from the sale of the Philippines business will be used to fund large acquisitions and also further investment in ​Holcim's existing business.

The Swiss company has been focusing more on Europe, Latin America, North Africa and ​Australia as it reshapes its business after spinning off its North American operations into a separate company last year.

Acquisitions ‌have ⁠been identified as a key part of Holcim's growth strategy, with the company planning to make around 15 deals in 2026.

Holcim last year said it had 3 billion Swiss francs to 4 billion Swiss francs ($3.72 billion to $4.95 billion) to spend on acquisitions up to 2030, and could raise ​up to 6 billion ​Swiss francs more ⁠from divestments and extra borrowing for large deals and share buybacks.

Holcim CEO Miljan Gutovic on Friday said the company had a "very healthy pipeline" of ​acquisition projects in Latin America, Europe and also parts of Asia, Middle ​East and ⁠Africa, and was also considering large deals.

"We are constantly screening our landscape, from walling and flooring solution companies all the way to roofing, and we believe there are some very attractive markets," he ⁠told analysts ​after the company's second-quarter results.

I'm confident that we will have ​a strong momentum on the M&A front in the second half of this year," Gutovic added.

MANILA, PHILIPPINES – The U.S. pledged to fund the expansion of a Coast Guard base used for operations in the South China Sea and increase foreign military financing for Manila last week.

The Philippines will receive up to $9 million for the expansion of a pier in the western province of Palawan to enhance “maritime law enforcement presence and sustain operations in the South China Sea,” according to a Department of State fact sheet covering U.S. initiatives in Southeast Asia released July 22

THE Philippines should accelerate investments in domestic drone manufacturing while expanding defense cooperation with like-minded nations to boost its military capabilities and improve its ability to respond to evolving security threats, international studies experts said last week.

Speaking at the Kyiv-Manila Strategic Dialogues 2026, retired Rear Admiral Rommel Jude G. Ong said one of the key lessons the Philippines could draw from Ukraine’s experience in resisting Russia’s invasion is the value of developing an indigenous drone industry.

“You have to be innovative and you have to throw the book away if the book is no longer relevant,” Mr. Ong, a professor of praxis at the Ateneo School of Government, said. “That’s why we’re looking now… at not buying drones, but actually building our sovereign drone production capability in the Philippines.”

He said a local drone industry would complement the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ modernization efforts, including the acquisition of the BrahMos missile system, by giving the country greater flexibility in surveillance, reconnaissance and maritime defense.

The Philippines and Ukraine agreed in October 2025 to pursue a drone co-production agreement. Ukrainian Ambassador Yuliia Fediv earlier said both countries were also exploring broader cooperation in cybersecurity and other defense-related technologies.

International Development and Security Cooperation President Chester B. Cabalza said drones have become an essential capability for archipelagic states such as the Philippines, which must monitor and defend thousands of kilometers of coastline and maritime territory.

“Our homegrown drone designs already rival foreign weapons built for asymmetrical warfare,” he told BusinessWorld via Messenger. “Local inventors are proving that strategic ingenuity outperforms massive military budgets.”

He said partnering with Ukraine would combine Philippine engineering capabilities with Kyiv’s battlefield experience, allowing Manila to develop systems tailored to its own defense requirements under the Self-Reliant Defense Posture framework.

“But the ultimate strategic objective is total self-reliance through low-cost, domestic mass production,” Mr. Cabalza said. “We must erect a robust, sovereign industrial base to secure our own borders.”

Mr. Cabalza added that local production would reduce dependence on foreign suppliers while supporting the government’s long-term defense industrialization goals.

De La Salle University Department of International Studies professor Charmaine M. Willoughby said continued defense cooperation with partners remains crucial as the Philippines confronts increasingly complex regional security challenges.

“A lesson that Ukraine may learn from the Philippines is to reach out with international partners,” she said, referring to Manila’s efforts to internationalize issues involving the South China Sea.

European Union Delegation to the Philippines Deputy Head of Mission Agata Nowicka said Ukraine’s experience showed that resilience extends beyond military capability.

“Ukraine shows us how important national unity is, the resilience of societies, international coalition-building and the need to expose all aggressions clearly and early enough,” she said.

The Philippines has stepped up defense engagement with regional and Western partners amid continued tensions with China in the South China Sea, particularly as the country marked the 10th anniversary of the 2016 arbitral ruling that voided Beijing’s expansive maritime claims.

During this week’s Association of Southeast Asian Nations Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, several partner countries reaffirmed support for international law and maritime security. Australia also announced additional funding for drone technology and operator training for the Philippine Coast Guard.

Mr. Ong said the Philippines should continue pursuing “minilateral” partnerships with countries sharing similar security concerns, citing Japan as a natural strategic partner because both countries face common challenges in maintaining a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific region.

The Kyiv-Manila Strategic Dialogues, held at the Ateneo Professional Schools, also tackled cooperation between the Philippines and Ukraine on security, trade, labor and migration.

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MANILA – The Department of National Defense (DND) and the US Department of War (DoW) is exploring more collaborations in ship maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) capabilities.

DND Assistant Secretary for Defense Technology Research and Industry Development Augusto Gaite and US DoW Regional Sustainment Framework Director Dr. Nelson Williams visited the Philippine Navy's Sea System Command (SSC) at Naval Station Pascual San Ledesma in Fort San Felipe, Cavite City on July 15, according to a news release Friday.

SSC commander Rear Admiral Juario Marayag joined the officials at an executive session, where discussions focused on defense technology initiatives, sustainment strategies and opportunities for capability development.

Primarily, the meeting focused on conducting key leader engagements and assessing opportunities for collaboration with defense industrial base partners to advance MRO capabilities,” the Philippine Navy said.

The delegation toured the SSC shipyard's industrial shops, dry-docking facilities and shipbuilding facilities.

"They also visited the logistics center, Philippine Navy warehouses and the SSC Museum, providing them with a firsthand appreciation of the Command's maintenance, repair, logistics, and sustainment capabilities," the news release said.

The activity reiterated the SSC's commitment to developing strategic partnership that foster innovation, defense sustainment capabilities, and contribute to building a more capable and self-reliant defense industry in support of the Philippine Navy. (PNA)

The navy’s first littoral combat ship is arriving later this year without the anti-ship missiles meant to give it offensive teeth.