Together We Prepare, Together We Respond: Pacific Partnership 2026 returns to Tacloban

By DPAO, 8ID PA
September 22, 2026

CAMP LUKBAN, Catbalogan City – In a city that knows the devastating cost of disaster, Pacific Partnership 2026 (PP26) returned to Tacloban City, Monday, September 21, 2026, opening at the Tacloban City Convention Center and marking Leyte as the final stop of this year’s multinational mission led by the U.S. Pacific Fleet.

The visit marks the 14th Pacific Partnership engagement in the Philippines, bringing together allies, partners, and interagency groups from Canada, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and the United States to strengthen disaster-response capabilities, improve interoperability, and reinforce a shared commitment to a free, open, and secure Indo-Pacific.

U.S. Ambassador Lee Lipton traced Pacific Partnership to the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, underscoring how lessons from past disasters continue to shape international cooperation. He also highlighted the enduring partnership between the United States and the Philippines.

“When our friends and allies are in need, the Philippines is clearly our loyal friend.”

Lipton said Pacific Partnership demonstrates how military forces can contribute to the well-being and resilience of communities.

“Over the coming days, service members will conduct community outreach, engineers will complete projects to improve Filipinos’ lives, and teams will run humanitarian aid and disaster training so that we will be ready to save lives during future crises.”

For Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez, the return of Pacific Partnership carries a deeply personal significance. He was mayor when the mission first came to Tacloban in 2014, just months after Super Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) devastated the city. His late father, also a former mayor of Tacloban, witnessed the destruction firsthand.

“He always told me that our friends from our partner nations will always be with us, in good times and especially in hard times.”

Brig. Gen. Victor Llapitan, Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Civil-Military Operations, AJ7, emphasized that Pacific Partnership goes beyond military training.

“Pacific Partnership is more than a mission. It is an opportunity to build relationships, capabilities, and trust that we need before a crisis occurs.”

Llapitan noted that disasters recognize no borders and affect military and civilian communities, government agencies, and nations alike.

“When a major crisis strikes, no single country, organization, or community can be expected to carry the burden alone. What matters is whether the relationships, systems, and trust are already in place to act quickly, effectively, and in a coordinated manner.”

Over the coming days, PP26 participants will conduct medical and engineering training, community outreach, humanitarian assistance and disaster management activities, and civil-military operations. Engineers will also undertake projects aimed at improving community infrastructure and resilience.