Balikatan troops to train vs chemical attacks

PHILIPPINE and American troops will level up their training during this year’s Balikatan exercises by focusing on man- made “disasters” such as chemical attacks, an official said.

Lt. Liezl Vidallon, Balikatan ( shoulder- to- shoulder) 2018 public affairs director, said troops will also be trained on how to respond to natural calamities.

The annual exercises will be held from May 7 to 18, 2018 in various locations in Luzon.

Vidallon said the tactics, techniques and procedures of the Philippine Army, Philippine Air Force and the Philippine Navy are enhanced yearly and the lessons learned in last year’s Balikatan will be applied.

“The focus of Balikatan [ this year] is mutual defense, counter terrorism and HADR ( humanitarian assistance and disaster response),” Vidallon told reporters.

Last year’s Balikatan was more focused on responding to natural disasters such as typhoon, earthquakes, among others.

The exercises this year will be “scenario- based,’ meaning that the drills will be based on real- life encounters on terrorism, natural disasters and the like.

“We also have simulation training events wherein the planner [ of Balikatan], our leadership, will try to command and control different forces for any eventuality,” Vidallon said.

The Philippines had invited forces from Australia, Japan and United Kingdom as observers for this year’s Balikatan exercises.

The US Pacific Command said the military exercises will be consistent with the Mutual Defense Treaty and the Visiting Forces Agreement ( VFA) signed by Washington and Manila in 1998.