AFP sets tentative date of Balikatan 2023 exercises on 2nd week of April

The Philippine and United States military concluded “another successful” Balikatan exercise, considered as the “one of the largest ever held,” in this file photo taken in April of 2022. This year, the US and Philippine troops are set for another set of war games tentatively set on the second week of April 2023.  FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — The tentative schedule of the annual war games of the Philippines and its longtime ally the United States is on the second week of April, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said on Monday.

“Still tentative, second week of April,” AFP chief Public Information Officer Jorry Baclor told reporters.

As for the number of Philippine and US personnel, Baclor said the discussion is still ongoing.

While being a bilateral activity, the AFP said it will take the lead of the 38th iteration of the Balikatan Exercises.

“Although this is a bilateral activity, the AFP takes the lead in planning and execution, supported by the US Armed Forces with other like-minded nations as observers,” the armed forces said in a statement.

The AFP said the joint military exercise will “result in the development of the AFP capability not only in the conduct of external defense operations but also in fulfilling its obligation in working with other countries in the region against terrorism and other threats.”

A total of 8,900 members of the Philippine and American military joined forces in 2022’s Balikatan exercises.

JPV