PH, US navies set war games

MANILA, Philippines–Around 4,000 troops from both the Philippine and United States navies will take part in this year’s Philippine Amphibious Landing Exercise which kicks off Monday at 10 a.m. at Naval Forces West headquarters in Puerto Princesa City in Palawan province.

1st Lt. Jerber Anthony Belonio, the Philippine Marine Corps spokesman, said that 3,000 sailors from the US Navy and 1,000 Filipino sailors and Marines will see action in the 12-day exercise.

Belonio said the war games would be held in different locations. The activity is aimed at improving the interoperability of the participating forces and increasing their readiness and ability to respond to natural disasters and other contingencies.

Exercises

From Sept. 30 to Oct. 2, there will be live fire exercises at Crow Valley, Tarlac, to be followed by a boat raid exercise at Arrecife Island, Sofronio Española, Palawan.

On Oct. 5-7, there will be a mechanized assault exercise at Naval Education Training Center, Zambales, and a live fire exercise at Crow Valley on Oct. 7.

The exercise’s civic activities will include a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Engineering Civic Action Program at Maoyon Elementary School in Puerto Princesa on Oct. 8 and at Beddieng Elementary School in Zambales the following day.

The bilateral war games will end on Oct. 10 in closing ceremonies at Philippine Marine Corps headquarters in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.–Julie M. Aurelio