AFP opens sea, land, air interoperability exercise

From the Business Mirror (Sep 17, 2019): AFP opens sea, land, air interoperability exercise

The Armed Forces of the Philippines officially opened on Monday its joint exercise “DAGIT-PA” at the AFP Education, Training and Doctrine Command at Camp Aguinaldo.

DAGIT-PA, which stands for “Dagat-Langit-Lupa,” is an AFP-wide exercise aimed at enhancing interoperability among the Philippine Navy, Philippine Air Force and Philippine Army. It is geared to level up existing exercises by integrating the AFP’s Special Operations Forces, Cyber Group and reservists.

“This year’s reiteration of the AFP Joint Exercise will help us strengthen our territorial defense capabilities and our conduct of internal security operations,” said Brig. Gen. Francisco Mendoza, AFP assistant deputy chief of staff for education and training.

“The AFP chief of staff wants to ensure that we have the capability to apply the unilateral defense plan and AFP joint operating concept among many others to ensure the effectiveness of our troops when operating in a joint operations environment,” he added.

More than 1,500 soldiers, including reservists and selected AFP wide support and separate units are participating in the exercises, which include air and maritime interdiction operations in Palawan; amphibious landing in Zambales; airfield seizure and military operations in urban terrain in Nueva Ecija; and combined arms live fire exercise in Tarlac.

The events will focus on capabilities development in maritime security, military operations in urban terrain and amphibious operations.

The exercise traces its roots from the Navy Air Force interoperability exercise dubbed as “DAGIT” which features air-sea battle concept training which started in the early 2000s.

Meanwhile, all five provinces of Region 4A have activated their respective Provincial Task Forces to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC), which signal the region-wide implementation of President Rodrigo Duterte’s EO Number 70 in CALABARZON.

Brig. Gen. Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos Jr., commander of the 2nd Infantry Division which covers Southern Tagalog, said that Cavite was the first to activate the Provincial Task Force on April 4 through an Executive Order signed by then Governor Boying Remulla which was followed by Laguna on April 9, Quezon on April 11, Rizal on August 13 and Batangas on September 10.

“Through the unified stand of our local chief executives, we will finally be able to put an end to the 50-year communist insurgency that has been hampering our potentials and growth as a nation,” Burgos said.

Early this year, security forces reported the dismantling of Guerilla Front Honda, the NPA unit that used to operate in Batangas and Cavite, dealing a blow to the NPA in Southern Tagalog, which also saw the surrender of 122 rebels who are now enrolled in the government’s Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program.

Three provinces, three cities, eight municipalities and 184 barangays in Southern Tagalog have so far issued resolutions banning the presence of NPA in their communities.

“These resolutions denied them ( rebels) their much needed space and mass base support,” Burgos said.

https://businessmirror.com.ph/2019/09/17/afp-opens-sea-land-air-interoperability-exercise/