RP-US Balikatan returns to Palawan

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan, March 14 (PIA) -- Balikatan, the biggest combined military exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the United States Pacific Command returns to Palawan this year for the 28th annual bilateral exercise on April 16 to 27.

About 6,800 troops from the Philippines and the United States are expected to participate in this annual exercise which would consist of computer-simulated command post exercises, multiple field training exercises and the conduct of humanitarian civic assistance projects in pre-selected areas in Palawan.

‘Balikatan,’ which means “shoulder to shoulder,” is conducted annually to promote regional peace and security and to improve the interoperability and contingency planning of both forces for defense in accordance with the Mutual Defense Treaty.

The last Balikatan in the province was conducted in 2008 in Balabac where thousands of residents were provided with week-long humanitarian and civic assistance projects.

This year’s multiple field training exercises will be conducted in the western coast of Puerto Princesa City facing the West Philippine Sea and in some areas in southern Palawan.

The engineering brigade of the US forces has already arrived in the province to begin mobilization work on its identified engineering civic action projects (ENCAP) in this city and southern Palawan.

In a news release of the United States Embassy, it says that this year’s exercise is unique in that it is the first time to include multilateral engagement of an additional 20 participants from ASEAN and 15 colleagues from partner nations plan to contribute to the command post exercise. (TBO/VSM-PIA4B Palawan)

By Victoria Asuncion S. Mendoza