More than 8,000 soldiers from the United States, the Philippines, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and Canada are participating in consecutive “war games” this year.

NAGA CITY, Camarines Sur – “When the military banned it, our catch weakened.”

Salvador Banayad, a 54-year old fisherfolk, recalled how his livelihood was affected by the live-fire military exercises involving Filipino and Australian troops in Sitio Mainit and Sitio Camagong in Barangay Balogo, Pasacao, Camarines Sur, under the Kasangga 2026 war games from May 25 to June 19.

“We haven’t been out there for maybe two weeks. That’s where they’re dropping their bombs,” Banayad said. “That’s where we were fishing.”

According to him, the coast guards prevented their boats from entering the area of the live-fire exercises. Their only option was to go around, encircling the nearby coast in their community just to catch fish.

“Sometimes we are able to catch two kilos, one kilo [of fish]. Unlike where they are positioned, sometimes we can catch five kilos [of fish],” Banayad added. “Our livelihoods are being cut off because we will be banned. We have no other job.”

According to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), residents living near the exercise area were temporarily relocated while fishing activities within the designated exercise zone were suspended during the conduct of the activity.

In a video release of the 9th Infantry Division (ID), Pasacao Municipal Mayor Niño Tayco said that the designated exercise zone at the sea seems to have no corals. “In front of it, the Pasacao LGU has already declared it, which is approved by the province, our new Comprehensive Land Use Plan has already declared it as an industrial zone.”

“That was a huge lesson for me because what we evacuated was not a joke, 40 plus families, almost 150 plus people, but we managed to make the flow go well,” Barangay Councilor Arnel Ama said in the video release of the 9th ID.

“The scenario highlighted the participating forces’ coordination, readiness, and operational effectiveness across the land, air, and maritime domains. For its part, the Australian Army emphasized that its participation aims to share knowledge, expertise, and operational experience in territorial defense while supporting the Philippine Army’s active transition towards external security operations,” the AFP said.

Various progressive groups condemned the military drills, linking them to other joint exercises such as Balikatan and Salaknib, and accused the Marcos Jr. regime of allowing foreign powers to use Philippine territory at the expense of local communities.

In Bicol alone, particularly in the towns of Pasacao, Balatan, San Fernando, Libmanan, and Ragay in Camarines Sur, agricultural and coastal communities have become the center of large-scale military operations. More than 8,000 soldiers from the United States, the Philippines, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and Canada are participating in consecutive “war games” this year.

“We denounce Balikatan, Salaknib, and Kasangga under the Marcos regime for allowing the US and its allies, such as Australia, to use our territory and endanger the lives of farmers, fisherfolk, peasant women, and children in rural communities. These military exercises have resulted in a long list of atrocities against the Filipino people, including human rights violations, abuses and discrimination against women, destruction of natural resources, and other harmful impacts,” Cathy Estavillo, Amihan secretary-general, said. 

“The P6.793 trillion (USD 110.386 billion) has been allocated for training and drills. We are just wasting trillions of funds for a useless program that is dragging the Philippines into war while the US-Marcos Regime is limiting the funds for agriculture, health and education,” Kilusang Magbubukid ng Bicol (KMB) said. “Maj. Frank Roldan of the 9th Infantry Division is even proud of the success of the launch of the ‘Live Fire Exercises’ supposedly to enhance the country’s security.”

“Kasangga 2026 can be considered a calamity, like a severe storm that caused forced evacuations and devastated livelihoods. Like the effects of disasters, the daily hardship experienced in the evacuation center and relying on meager aid from the local government,” said KMB Spokesperson Regina Barbacena.

KMB said that the Balikatan-Salaknib-Kasangga 2026 only serves the interests of imperialist countries and not for farmers and fisherfolk.

“Expect that in the future this will pave the way for large eco-tourism and renewable energy projects such as the Pasacao Wind Power Project of Gigasol 6, Inc., Camarines Sur Wind Power Project of Upward Wind Energy Corp. and Pasacao-San Fernando Wind Farm Project of the company Apolaki One, Inc.,” Barbacena said. “Projects that are a cover-up for the plunder of the natural resources and minerals of the Bicol region.”

‘Defend Bicol’

Banayad was among the more than 300 delegates from various Bicol provinces who participated in the second Defend Bicol Assembly on July 18, reaffirming their unity in strengthening their campaign against the fascist attacks of the Marcos Jr. administration. “I also support what [Defend] Bicol is fighting for. We must fight for our rights because livelihood is difficult these days,” he said.

According to the National Network of Agrarian Reform Advocates Youth (NNARA Youth), national security does not depend on the increase in foreign soldiers in the countryside and war training. “This can be achieved when there is enough food on the table, a stable livelihood, environmental protection, genuine land reform, and full national sovereignty. As long as the Philippines is used as a platform for the imperialist interests of the United States, the lives, livelihoods, and future of the Filipino people will continue to be put at risk.”

With the current political and economic crisis, according to Jen Nagrampa of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) Bicol, there is a need to revive the Defend Bicol Stop the Attacks Network.

“Let’s Defend Bicol and stop the attacks on the Bicolanos. We believe that even though these military exercises conducted in the sea, they still have an impact on economic matters, of course on the livelihood of fishermen,” Nagrampa said. “Not fishing for just one day means a reduction in income.”

“We need to advance human rights, the right to live. Defend Bicol is ready to help those who need protection,” said former Defend Bicol convenor Pastor Sam Divino. “Amidst the violence experienced by Bicolanos, Defend Bicol still stands up to protect the rights of Bicolanos.”

According to Karapatan Deputy Secretary-General Atty. Maria Sol Taule, the militarization of communities only violates their civil and political rights.

“The government has all the resources. They have the NTF-ELCAC [or the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict], AFP and PNP [or the Philippine National Police]. They plant evidence against people they are arresting,” Taule said. “We have no other weapon against it than our collective action, facing these fascist attacks.”

“Defend Bicol is for all of us, open to all citizens who do not want corruption, citizens who do not want poverty and of course do not want human rights violations,” Nagrampa said. (RTS, DAA)