The student protesters on Monday demonstrated against the presence of the US troops in their country and condemned what they described as US interventionism.
The angry students burned a US flag during the protest rally.
Nearly 7,000 American and Philippine troops are taking part in the annual drills, called Balikatan (shoulder-to-shoulder), which are due to continue until April 27.
The naval exercises come amid escalating tensions between the Philippines and China over a disputed shoal in the South China Sea.
Beijing has already expressed opposition to the military drills involving Americans near the South China Sea.
A military spokesman for the Philippines has rejected any connection between the drills and the events at Scarborough Shoal, over which Manila remains locked in a stand-off with Beijing.
DB/MYA/MFB/HJL
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