Phl, US troops to hold drills near Benham

Filipino and American troops will launch a naval disaster drill off Casiguran, Aurora near Benham Rise during this year’s joint Balikatan military exercises.

Officials said the joint military exercises would now focus on humanitarian response drills. Dubbed as Civil-Military Activities from the Sea (CMAS), the joint naval disaster maneuver will be conducted off the coastal areas of the country’s eastern seaboard.

This year’s Balikatan will involve units of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

“Our ships with the US and the PCG will navigate

from Subic Bay and they will be passing by the waters off Zambales, Cagayan Valley on their way to Casiguran, Aurora for launching of the sea-based disaster response scenario,” Balikatan spokesman for the Philippines Maj. Frank Sayson said.

Sayson said the joint disaster naval exercise along the Pacific coastline from Subic is expected to start on May 7 and be completed with a week.

Culminating event for the CMA-S drills is the landing of relief items and supplies in the coastal area of Casiguran on May 15.

“I cannot tell you yet how many assets will be committed by the participants but definitely, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will be fielding many for this activity,” Sayson said.

Casiguran is among the remotest towns in the eastern seaboard nearest to Benham Rise in the Pacific Ocean. The town is often in the path of the powerful storms blowing in from the Pacific.

A separate joint quake disaster response drill in an urban setting will also be undertaken by combined Filipino and American troops at the headquarters of the Army’s 7th Infantry Division in Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija.

Foreign and local observers were invited to the event on May 12.

Sayson said the planners of this year’s Balikatan (Shoulder to Shoulder) agreed that both Filipino and US forces must harness not only their fighting skills but also their disaster response capabilities.

Sayson said the joint quake disaster response drill is most important to Filipino troops as the Philippines is prone to earthquakes, being situated in the Pacific Ring of Fire.

The AFP has committed several of its engineering units to join the quake disaster response drill.

President Duterte has ordered this year’s Balikatan to focus more on humanitarian and disaster response activities instead of the usual war games.

Balikatan is scheduled for launching on May 8 and will end on May 16.