Philippines, US hold annual amphibious landing exercise

MANILA, Philippines—The 10-day Philippines-US Amphibious Landing Exercise (Phiblex), this week’s celebration of the 67th anniversary of General Douglas MacArthur’s historic landing in Leyte, and last month’s rites marking the 60th anniversary of the Philippines-US Mutual Defense Treaty, have one thing in common.

They all “attest to the strength and longevity of bilateral ties between our two countries,” the US Embassy in Manila said Wednesday.

The embassy, however, clarified that the 2,000 American troops taking part in the war games are coming here “at the invitation of the Republic of the Philippines and the Armed Forces of the Philippines.”

The US Department of State, earlier in a statement, said “our alliance with the Philippines continues to grow in the 21st century as our two countries chart a new vision for our critical partnership in the defense realm and beyond.”

“Whether we are working together to combat extremism, help victims of natural disasters or stand up for human rights, the people of our countries share a mutual desire to build a better world for future generations,” it added.

Last Monday, “US marines and sailors from the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade kicked off their combined training with the AFP to improve interoperability, increase readiness and build professional and personal relationships,” said the mission.

“The exercise takes place in various locations across the Philippines and includes a range of activities—from community relations activities such as a school building project, medical and dental care missions, as well as humanitarian assistance missions to amphibious landing and live fire exercises.”

Next Saturday, the amphibious dock landing ship USS Germantown is scheduled to arrive at the former US naval base in Subic, Zambales, to “offload Marines (who will participate in the Phiblex) and their equipment.”

Two other American warships—the amphibious assault ship USS Essex and the transport dock ship USS Denver—are also taking part in the joint military exercises.

Captain Bradley Lee, commodore of the US Amphibious Squadron 11, said their “participation in Phiblex will demonstrate our commitment to mutual security and our long time partnership” with the Philippine government.

Lee noted “the US and the Philippines have had a long-standing relationship for many years.”

Brigadier General Eugene Clemen, Philippine exercise director, said some 1,000 Filipino Marines were participating in the exercises, a part of which will be held in Palawan.

Clemen explained the choice of training venues considered the areas where Marine troops are already deployed, including Palawan, which he said offered a “very good training ground” with its beaches and forests.

Brigadier General Craig Timberlake, Clemen’s US counterpart, said they “had an opportunity to conduct exercises (in Palawan) before so this is just us revisiting places that we have been to.”

“Each year, we try to go to difference places and conduct exercises that will allow us to work closer together. So the fact that we are going there, really you shouldn’t read into that,” Timberlake added.

Aside from Palawan, Phiblex training exercises will be simultaneously held in different venues, including Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija; Basa Air Base in Pampanga; Marine Barracks Gregorio Lim in Cavite; Crow Valley in Tarlac; and the Naval Station San Miguel in Zambales.