Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Central Command (CENTCOM) Commanding General Lieutenant General Oscar T. Lactao and United States III Marine Expeditionary Force Commanding General Lieutenant General Marine Lawrence D. Nicholson today led the opening of Balikatan 2017 at Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City, May 8, 2017.
Lactao is the Philippine exercise director for Balikatan 2017 and Nicholson is the exercise director for US.
For this year’s Balikatan, only two of AFP’s unified commands will interact with American units until the 19th. These are Cebu-based CENTCOM and Tarlac-based Northern Luzon Command (NOLCOM). Last year, Southern Luzon Command and Western Command joined the said military exercise.
This year’s Balikatan will focus on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and counter-terrorism.
“We will be having small arms military-to-military activities, some joint special operations activities which is really aligned to counter-terrorism,” said Balikatan spokesperson for Philippines Major Frank Sayson.
Other activities include underwater demolition activities in Ormoc, Leyte wherein US operatives will teach their Filipino counterparts the techniques in clearing up debris in the sea bottom to allow ships to safely dock and use the port and expedite the transport of relief supplies and aid to areas battered by typhoon and other calamities.
http://www.update.ph/2017/05/balikatan-2017-officially-starts-to-include-underwater-demolition-training/17254
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