Philippine Army hosts CORE 4 meeting with US, Japan, Aus

Senior military leaders from the Philippines, United States, Japan, and Australia met over the weekend in Taguig City to enhance regional defense cooperation.

The Philippine Army hosted the CORE 4 Technical Working Group meeting at its headquarters in Fort Bonifacio, focusing on improving interoperability and aligning military exercises among regional partners.

Discussions emphasized information sharing and mutual trust as key pillars for effective multilateral cooperation in the Indo-Pacific Region.

Attendees included Brigadier General Dean Thompson of the Australian Army, Major General Scott Winter from USARPAC, Colonel Christopher Winn from the U.S. Marine Corps Forces Pacific, Major General Norimichi Shirakawa of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, and Brigadier General Vicente Map Blanco III of the Philippine Marine Corps.

The meeting, held on March 1 to 2, saw all four countries reaffirm their commitment to strengthening regional security and advancing operational synergy among land forces.

The next CORE 4 engagement will be held in May 2025 in Hawaii during Land Forces Pacific (LANPAC), where strategic initiatives will further strengthen military partnerships.