Philippine Army plans to establish new brigade combat teams

The Philippine Army (PA) has confirmed to Janes that it plans to establish more brigade combat teams (BCTs).

The move is intended to improve the PA's responsiveness to counterinsurgency activities such as the government's five-month battle with militants in Marawi, southern Philippines, in 2017.

The PA's official spokesperson Colonel Xerxes Trinidad told Janes on 16 March that the service has a BCT but more will be established soon.

He said the focus on enhancing BCT capability is framed by continuing exercises the PA is undertaking with the US Army.

Col Trinidad said these military exercises are intended for identifying “recommendations and best practices that we can get from our counterparts from the US, so we can enhance the capabilities of our existing BCTs and prepare for our future brigade combat teams”.

The state-owned Philippine News Agency (PNA) reported that the PA activated its first BCT – designated 1BCT – in December 2018. According to PNA, 1BCT was deployed in the country's Sulu province the same year to support PA efforts to tackle insurgents in the region.