Troops from the Philippines and United States will participate in the 20th Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) joint military exercises on Thursday.
The US Embassy in Manila on Wednesday said a US Navy task group that includes ships, aircraft, Sailors and Marines will take part in the exercise.
Exercise events will occur in "several locations ashore and at sea including Subic Bay, San Antonio in Zambales, Sangley Point in Cavite City, and Ternate."
"This year’s CARAT Philippines will focus on combined operations at sea, amphibious landings, diving and salvage, and maritime patrol and reconnaissance flights. Sailors and Marines will exchange best practices and share information with their Philippine Armed Forces counterparts during multiple professional exchanges and seminars ashore," it said.
The embassy added that civil action projects, community service events and band concerts would facilitate interaction with the local community.
Previous CARAT exercises were held in Mindanao (2012), Palawan (2011), Subic Bay (2010 and 2013), Cebu (2009) and other locations.
"As in years past, the sea phase will take place in international waters west of Subic Bay," the embassy said.
No relation to current events
The embassy said CARAT, which promotes regional maritime cooperation with many participating navies, "is not in response to current events."
The Philippines is in the middle of a dispute with China over territories in the West Philippine Sea.
The US supports the Philippines' move to bring the matter up for arbitration before a United Nations tribunal.
The Philippines is in the middle of a dispute with China over territories in the West Philippine Sea.
The US supports the Philippines' move to bring the matter up for arbitration before a United Nations tribunal.
The embassy said the 2014 CARAT series began in late May, and is taking place in Malaysia now. It continues through end-2014 with Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Singapore and Timor-Leste.
"Joint planning for each phase of CARAT begins a year in advance and exercise phases take place during the same general timeframe each year," it said.
Also, the embassy said CARAT Philippines is part of a broader bilateral exercise series the US Navy conducts with nine partner navies in South and Southeast Asia.
It said this aims to "address shared maritime security priorities, strengthen maritime partnerships and enhance interoperability among participating navies."
"The Philippines has participated since the series began in 1995, and CARAT exercises over the past two decades are clear examples of the longstanding and close U.S.-Philippines navy-to-navy relationship," it said.
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