Humanitarian projects kick off Balikatan 2019
Filipino, American and Australian forces launched humanitarian and civic assistance activities in Luzon as part of this year’s Philippines-United States Balikatan Exercises.
Personnel from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), United States Armed Forces, and Australian Defense Force (ADF), all under the ambit of the US alliance, began the Engineering Civic Action Program on Tuesday in Tarlac, Batangas, Laguna and Bataan.
Under the program, medical facilities and school buildings will be built at selected communities in the areas.
The beneficiaries of the classroom buildings are Don Eulogio Luistro Elementary School in Bulsa, San Juan, Batangas; Victor De Guia Elementary School in Balian, Pangil, Laguna; and Pag-Asa Elementary School in Orani, Bataan Province. The local government of Brgy. San Pedro, Moncada, Tarlac will receive a one-story medical clinic.
Medical teams have also been deployed offering free consultation, hygiene kits, feeding program, and veterinary care. The teams will also share information on family planning, health, environment protection, and disaster preparedness.
Exercise Balikatan 2019 will officially open on April 1 in a ceremony to be held at the AFP’s headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City. This is the 35th iteration of the annual military drill.
Throughout Exercise Balikatan, the AFP, US Armed Forces and ADF will carry out information exchanges and live training events. These are aimed at enhancing the militaries’ interoperability during the planning and execution of joint operations to advance security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
Balikatan is an exercise between the Philippines and the US, and also involves participation from Australia. Balikatan is a Tagalog phrase for “shoulder-to-shoulder,” which characterizes the spirit of the exercise and represents the partnership between the US and the Philippines.
During Balikatan 2019, US and Philippine forces will conduct amphibious operations, livefire training, urban operations, aviation operations, and counter terrorism response. All events will take place in Luzon, Palawan, and Mindoro.
This will be the first Balikatan to incorporate the USS Wasp paired with the United States Marines Corps’ F-35B Lightning II aircraft. Together they represent an increase in military capability committed to a free and open Indo-Pacific. Participating in Balikatan demonstrates their ability to forward deploy in support of an ally should a crisis or natural disaster occurs.
Balikatan 2019 will also bring together ASEAN members for an International Observers Program. The program aims to promote greater defense cooperation with ASEAN and other key allies and partners, show multinational coordination where the observers can mutually exchange meaningful ideas and best practices, and showcase the joint and combined air, sea, and ground operation of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and US Armed Forces.