Largest military drills of PH, US Marines officially begins 

MANILA, Philippines — The “biggest ever” military drills between the marine corps of the Philippines and the United States formally started Thursday.

A ceremony for the opening of the two-week bilateral exercise dubbed Marine Aviation Support Activity (Masa) was held in Fort Bonifacio.

A total of 2,711 personnel and 43 air assets from the Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) and United States Marine Corps (USMC) will be utilized in the exercises to be held in military bases located in Cagayan, Tarlac, Palawan, Zambales, and Cebu until July 21.

READ: ‘Biggest-ever’ US-PH marine activity kicks off Thursday

PMC Commandant Major General Arturo Rojas said Masa will provide an “invaluable opportunity” to the Philippine Navy branch.

“Aviation-supported operations require a high degree of coordination, precision, and synchronization,” Rojas said in his speech. “These exercises provide an invaluable opportunity for our Marines to familiarize themselves with the complexities of joint operations, enabling seamless integration of our aviation assets to support ground forces.”

“Through joint and combined training like Masa, we refine our ability to maximize the advantages offered by our aircraft, enhancing our collective combat power and effectiveness,” he added.

READ: PH, US to hold joint military drills

For his part, Commanding Officer of USMC’s Marine Rotational Force-Darwin Col. Brendan Sullivan said this year’s Masa is “a testament to the enduring alliance shared between the U.S. and the Philippines to enhance the combined and joint interoperability between nations in conducting tactical and heliborne operations.”

“Over the coming days, we will engage in invaluable training, which will further strengthen our collective defense capabilities,” Sullivan said.

READ: PH, US marines start Masa 2022

Among the highlights of the drills is the sinking exercise involving a decommissioned Philippine Navy tanker that will serve as a mock enemy ship.