Bilateral exercise Balikatan begins tomorrow

From the Defense Video & Image Distribution System (DVIDS) (Apr 4): Bilateral exercise Balikatan begins tomorrow

CAMP FOSTER, Japan - Balikatan is an annual Republic of the Philippines-U.S. military bilateral training exercise and humanitarian assistance engagement which will take place in the Philippines from April 5 to 17.

More than 8,000 combined Philippine and U.S. personnel will be participating in the exercise, which will take place at various locations throughout Luzon.

During Balikatan 2013, Philippine and U.S. service members will conduct bilateral humanitarian civic assistance projects while military medical personnel offer free medical, dental and veterinary care. Military engineers will also construct and repair schools and other community infrastructure in selected communities during the exercise.

BK13 is the 29th iteration in a series of recurring bilateral events hosted annually by the Philippine and U.S. militaries focusing on the longstanding Philippine-U.S. partnership in cooperation and our collaborative commitment to region.

This year, the Philippines and the United States have invited a number of personnel from other regional partner nations to attend a portion of the exercise.

The exercise will begin with a ceremony presided over by the chief of staff for the AFP Gen. Emmanuel Bautista, U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Harry K. Thomas, Jr., and Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Albert Del Rosario April 5.

"Balikatan" in Filipino means "shoulder-to-shoulder" and characterizes the spirit of the exercise and the Philippines-U.S. alliance.

Listed below is a list of events that are scheduled to take place during the exercise:

Friday, April 5: Opening Ceremony at the Commissioned Officers' Club at Camp Aguinaldo, followed by a press conference with AFP Maj. Gen. Virgilio Domingo, BK13 exercise director, and U.S. Marine Brig. Gen. Richard Simcock, BK13 exercise deputy director. Media will need to meet at the AFP Public Affairs Office by 8 a.m.

Monday, April 8: Medical Symposium at Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Hospital in Zambales. Media will need to meet at the AFP Public Affairs Office by 5 a.m.

Friday, April 12: Demonstration of live-fire drills at Crow Valley Range in Tarlac. Media will need to meet at the AFP Public Affairs Office by 5 a.m.

Saturday, April 13: Bilateral live-fire field training exercises and community relations event at Fort Magsaysay. Media will need to meet at the AFP Public Affairs Office by 5 a.m.

Saturday, April 13: Air operations and aircraft static display at Clark Field. Media will need to meet at the AFP Public Affairs Office by 6 a.m.

Sunday, April 14: Dedication ceremony of a 60-meter suspension foot bridge at Barangay San Pascual in Zambales. Media will need to meet at the AFP Public Affairs Office by 5 a.m.

Monday, April 15: Multinational Maritime Disaster Response Tabletop Discussion opening ceremony at Camp Aguinaldo. Media will need to meet at the AFP Public Affairs Office by 8 a.m.

Wednesday, April 17: Closing Ceremony at the Commissioned Officers' Club aboard Camp Aguinaldo. Media will need to meet at the AFP Public Affairs Office by 9 a.m.

Also during the exercise stories, photos, video and other information will be posted at the following online sites:

-Website: www.dvidshub.net/unit/BK
-Website: www.dvidshub.net/feature/Balikatan
-Website: www.marforpac.marines.mil/Exercises/Balikatan.aspx
-Facebook: www.facebook.com/ExerciseBalikatan
-Youtube: www.youtube.com/ExerciseBalikatan

Members of the media are welcome to cover events taking place during the exercise. Please contact the Public Affairs Office, Armed Forces of the Philippines, at 632-9116439/57 or email afppao@gmail.com.

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