A high-ranking United States Army officer from Hawaii made an official visit to one of the Philippine Army’s key divisions in Luzon last Monday, signaling the continued strengthening of military cooperation between the two allied nations. The visit, which took place at Camp Capinpin in Tanay, Rizal, brought together commanders from two formations that share a storied connection to jungle warfare doctrine and Pacific Theater operations.
Top US Army Hawaii General Arrives at Camp Capinpin
Major General James “Jay” Bartholomees, Commanding General of the 25th Infantry (Tropical Lightning) Division of the United States Army Hawaii, traveled to Tanay, Rizal on May 25, 2026, for a formal engagement with the Philippine Army’s 2nd Infantry (Jungle Fighter) Division, known as the 2ID. He was received at Camp Capinpin, which serves as the 2ID’s headquarters and is one of the Philippine Army’s primary installations in the Luzon region.
Upon arrival, Major General Bartholomees paid a courtesy call on 2ID Commander Major General Ramon Zagala. The two senior officers then presided over a series of structured activities involving personnel from both the Philippine Army and the United States Army, designed to build professional rapport and reinforce operational familiarity between the allied forces.
Activities Included Tree Planting, Camp Tour, and Capability Demos
According to the 2ID’s Division Public Affairs Office, the day’s program included a tree planting ceremony held in front of Ynares Gym within Camp Capinpin, a guided tour of selected facilities inside the installation, and capability demonstrations intended to showcase the readiness and interoperability of both military forces. Officials described these activities as more than ceremonial in nature, noting that they were structured to facilitate genuine professional exchanges between Filipino and American troops at various levels of command.
The Division Public Affairs Office said the engagement provided both sides with an opportunity to share operational experiences, discuss strategic perspectives relevant to the Indo-Pacific region, and further develop the working relationship that has been cultivated through decades of joint training and bilateral defense commitments.
Jungle Fighter Plaque, Stripe, and Jeepney Memento Presented to US General
A notable moment during the visit was the formal presentation of the Jungle Fighter Plaque and Stripe to Major General Bartholomees. Philippine Army officials described the award as a symbol of friendship and mutual respect, consistent with a tradition meant to honor the deep bonds formed between Filipino and American troops through years of joint exercises and bilateral engagements.
The visiting general also received a jeepney-inspired memento — a token chosen for its cultural resonance as an enduring icon of Philippine daily life. According to Philippine Army officials, the jeepney was selected as a representation of Filipino resilience, community spirit, and unity, values that both armies identified as central to their ongoing alliance.
In a reciprocal gesture, Major General Bartholomees presented the “Lightning Badge” — the official emblem of the 25th Infantry Division — to his Philippine Army counterparts as an expression of goodwill and appreciation for the hospitality shown during the visit.
During the exchange of mementos, Major General Bartholomees remarked: “From one Jungle Fighter Division to another Jungle Division,” drawing attention to the shared jungle warfare heritage that connects the 25th Infantry Division and the Philippine Army’s 2nd Infantry Division. The statement underscored the institutional kinship between the two formations and added symbolic depth to what was already a diplomatically significant occasion.
2ID Commander Zagala Highlights Regional Stability and Interoperability
In a statement released through the Division Public Affairs Office, 2ID Commander Major General Ramon Zagala described the visit as a meaningful expression of the broader Philippine-American military alliance and its role in promoting peace across the region.
“Our partnership with the United States continues to play an important role in strengthening cooperation, improving interoperability, and promoting stability in the region. Through shared engagements and mutual trust, we continue to build relationships that contribute to peace, readiness, and security,” Major General Zagala said in the statement.
Major General Zagala further noted that visits of this kind go beyond military ceremony and tradition, characterizing them as a direct reflection of the robust bilateral relationship that the Philippines and the United States share at both the military and national government levels.
Two ‘Jungle’ Divisions Share a Storied Heritage
The encounter between the two generals carried added significance given the parallel histories of their respective divisions. The Philippine Army’s 2nd Infantry Division officially carries the designation “Jungle Fighter,” while the US Army’s 25th Infantry Division — headquartered in Hawaii and nicknamed “Tropical Lightning” — is itself rooted in Pacific Theater jungle warfare traditions dating back to World War II.
The 25th Infantry Division has historically been a central American formation in security engagements involving the Philippines, and continues to play a prominent role in Indo-Pacific defense cooperation under frameworks such as the Mutual Defense Treaty and the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA). Major General Bartholomees’s remark about the two divisions’ shared jungle identity was widely noted as a reflection of the deep institutional ties between the two allied armies.
Visit Part of Ongoing Bilateral Defense Framework
The May 25, 2026 engagement at Camp Capinpin is part of a broader and continuing series of bilateral military activities conducted by the Philippine Army and the United States Army under the Mutual Defense Treaty between the Republic of the Philippines and the United States of America.
In recent years, joint activities between the two allied forces have expanded considerably, ranging from large-scale exercises such as the annual Balikatan war games to smaller-scale professional development exchanges, maritime security cooperation initiatives, and humanitarian assistance training programs. These engagements collectively reflect the growing emphasis both governments have placed on security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific amid evolving regional dynamics, including concerns related to the South China Sea.
Public Affairs Office Confirms Intent Behind the Visit
Acting Chief of the Division Public Affairs Office Colonel Michael T. Aquino confirmed in an official statement that the visit was intended to reaffirm the commitment of both the Philippine Army and the United States Army to deepening their long-standing alliance through collaboration and shared experiences. Colonel Aquino noted that the engagement program was deliberately structured to enable meaningful interaction between participants from both armies, fostering the interpersonal and professional trust that is essential to effective military cooperation in any operational environment.
No operational or tactical details were disclosed in relation to the visit, consistent with standard military public affairs protocols. Official communications from the Division Public Affairs Office focused primarily on the diplomatic, symbolic, and partnership-building aspects of the engagement, in keeping with the nature of the occasion.
PH-US Defense Relations Continue to Gain Momentum
The visit by the Commanding General of the 25th Infantry Division to Camp Capinpin reflects the ongoing and deepening trajectory of Philippine-American defense relations. Both governments have made repeated reaffirmations of their alliance commitments in recent years, driven in part by shared security concerns in the South China Sea and the wider Indo-Pacific region.
The 2ID, as one of the Philippine Army’s frontline combined arms divisions, has been an active participant in the range of bilateral and multilateral military engagements that have become a defining feature of the current Philippine defense posture. Monday’s visit by Major General Bartholomees adds to that record of sustained alliance-building between two armies whose partnership stretches back more than a century.
Originally reported by: Philippine Army / 2ID Division Public Affairs Office
