Media personnel gather information about the humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) command post exercise (CPX) at Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo, Quezon City, May 17, 2017. HADR CPX training allows the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military to partner with international relief organizations to provide a faster and more effective responses to natural disasters. Balikatan is an annual U.S.-Philippine bilateral military exercise focused on a variety of missions including humanitarian and disaster relief, counterterrorism, and other combined military operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Maria A. Garza)
Military and civilian personnel welcomed members of the media to the Armed Forces of the Philippines Command and General Staff College to experience a humanitarian assistance and disaster relief command post exercise in support of Balikatan 2017, May 17.
The exercise includes representatives from the AFP, U.S. military, Australian Defence Force and Japan Self-Defense Forces, as well as civil organizations such as the Philippine National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, the Office of Civil Defense and the U.S. Agency for International Development.
The CPX is a simulation. It involves commanders making decisions and choices with simulated staffs and forces to understand and rehearse the vital flow of information and communications within and between headquarters. The exercise focuses on humanitarian assistance, disaster relief and counterterrorism to help both services protect public safety and health after a natural or man-made calamity.
“We have this exercise every year, and it helps us respond faster and more effectively in the case of real-world scenario, like super typhoons, earthquakes, volcanoes, those types of natural disasters,” said U.S. Marine Maj. Andrew Merz, co-exercise control group director from III Marine Expeditionary Force. “We want to be able to more effectively respond, which in the end benefits Philippine citizens in the case of a large scale natural disaster.”
Media members attending noted the importance of confronting and working to mitigate challenges common to the region.
“So much interest was generated by the public, and we in the newsroom wanted to get a picture of how it will be conducted,” said David Y. Santos, senior correspondent with CNN Philippines. “We understand the need for HADR on this year’s exercise, and we do appreciate that.”
Natural disasters are unpredictable, and HADR CPX training allows service members and civilians alike to improve command and control of operations before an actual emergency or disaster.
“We have been experiencing a lot of earthquakes lately, like the 7.2 [magnitude earthquake] in Mindanao,” said Eunice Rean Samonte, reporter for Peoples Television Network. “So it is really great to see all these countries working together and helping each other out.
Samonte pointed out that the CPX is one of several HADR events as a part of Balikatan.
“I was on Calayan Island yesterday, and I saw these people working together,” she said. “They are really prepared.”
The AFP wants to get the message out about the mutually beneficial value of partnership between nations during Balikatan 33-2017.
“We would like to promote the activity in part of enhancing our alliances with other nations, specifically our long trusted allies, the U.S., Japan and Australia,” said Philippine Lt. Col. Michael Logico, co-exercise control group director.
Balikatan allows partner forces and civilian aid agencies to plan, coordinate and conduct operations across the range of military capabilities, including humanitarian assistance/disaster relief.
“It helps the military understand that they are just one piece in a larger puzzle when you are conducting humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations,” Merz said. “It was a great opportunity for the military training audiences to interact with those other government agencies, and humanitarians, who are actually here to support this type of scenario.”
After seeing the combined efforts of the exercise participants, Santos noted why the media wanted to be there to tell the story.
“This is important to us,” he said. “We see how we as a nation will be responding in future disasters. It is good, we want to save lives and rebuild communities.”
https://www.dvidshub.net/news/234391/balikatan-media-visit-hadr-command-post
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