Media Release
24 April 2026
By CAPT Jacob Joseph
When Corporal Sam Escobia’s Filipino family found out their Australian cousin was in the Philippines, they were ready to jump on a plane and fly to a military base to say hello.
The family group chat was alight after his mum spread the word.
But the quartermaster, who is in Palawan working with Filipino and American counterparts for Exercise BALIKATAN 26, had to temper their expectations.
“They wanted to come down from Manila to visit me in Palawan,” the 24-year-old soldier from Darwin said.
“I had to tell them not to because they would end up somewhere they’re not supposed to go, like a restricted military area.
“Better that I go to visit them if I have a couple of days off,” he said.
As part of Exercise BALIKATAN 2026, an infantry combat team from Darwin’s 5th/7th Battalion is training with partner nations across locations throughout the island nation.
Soldiers like Corporal Escobia make sure the training runs smoothly by equipping everyone with supplies, weapons and ammunition.
It’s his first trip to the Philippines since joining the Army.
“I feel proud to be back here as a Filipino Australian,” he said.
“Filipinos are surprised when they see me and speak to me.
“I’m someone like them, but I’m wearing the Australian Army uniform.”
Despite the physical distance, the Filipino and Australian sides of his family maintain a close relationship.
As a child, CPL Escobia did not have many of the things children in Australia take for granted.
He lived in a single-room house in downtown Manila with his mother, father and cousins.
His father moved to Darwin to get a head start as a chef in 2008, with the rest of his family following shortly after.
CPL Escobia had his sights set on the military from a young age and joined soon after graduating Casuarina Senior College.
Although his Filipino relatives may not be able to visit him on base, CPL Escobia said he was proud to know he has support from both sides of his family.
For the young non-commissioned officer, Exercise Balikatan was a way to bridge cultures.
During Exercise BALIKATAN 2026, the Australian Defence Force deployed a contingent of around 400 personnel to the Philippines from 20 April to 08 May 2026.
Exercise BALIKATAN is an annual training activity between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the United States military.
Australia has participated in Balikatan since 2014.
“Balikatan” means “shoulder to shoulder” in Tagalog.
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