Eight New People's Army (NPA) rebels and a government soldier died following a firefight at a remote village in the northern Philippine province of Abra on Monday morning, the military said.

Citing initial reports, Army chief Lt. Gen. Arturo Ortiz said the soldiers were on a combat patrol at the village of Caganayan in Tineg town around 7:45 a.m. when they encountered about 20 NPA rebels.

Ortiz said two of the rebel fatalities were female.

The fighting was still ongoing, Ortiz said, adding an MG-520 attack helicopter was dispatched to provide air firepower to the troops while another helicopter airlifted troops to the area.

Maj. Gen. Rommel Gomez, commander of the Army's 5th Infantry Division, said the soldiers caught up with the rebels who were taking a break, adding the rebel presence was reported by civilians.

"Sporadic fighting is ongoing, our soldiers are still being fired at .. There is a high probability that some of them were also injured on top of those who died," said Gomez.

The NPA, armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, has been waging a guerrilla campaign in the countryside for more than four decades. The Philippine military estimates over 4,000 NPA guerrilla fighters are scattered in more than 60 provinces throughout the country.

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