Newly-recruited female marines take their lunch with fellow Filipino soldiers after undergoing drills inside the marine headquarters in the town of Ternate, south of Manila on Tuesday.

There are an estimated 350 women combatants in the 10,000-member Philippine marines who go through the same rigid physical and mental training as their male counterparts.

Since 2006, female marine officers of the Marine Corps have been performing in the field of assault armor, field artillery, airborne and other combat duties, a marine officer said. -- Reuters

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