Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 16) — The Philippines and the United States are poised to hold the largest joint military drills in years to enhance readiness in the face of threats, according to the army chief.
The “Balikatan” exercise last year was the largest since 2015, with a combined 8,900 troops from both countries, but army commander Lt. Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said the number of participants would even be bigger this year.
“It is claimed that this will be a bigger exercise than the past year’ s Balikatan exercise with involvement of more troops,” Brawner told reporters on Wednesday.
The joint drills are set amid rising tensions with Beijing over the West Philippine Sea, with reports of steady increase in Chinese activities that prevent movement of Philippine ships and fishermen.
The most recent encounter was the supposed use by a Chinese vessel of a military-grade laser at a Philippine coast guard ship near the disputed Ayungin Shoal, temporarily blinding crew members.
China denied aiming a laser, claiming it only used a hand-held green light pointer that “does not inflict damage” supposedly to ensure navigation safety.
Brawner said there is no confirmation yet on the number of participating troops or specific dates for this year’s Balikatan.
He said the activities will be held throughout the country, including in traditional exercise areas such as Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija and camps in Tarlac.
This year’s Balikatan “will involve a myriad of activities not just focused on developing the war-fighting capability of both armies or both armed forces, but also of the other non-traditional roles, such as humanitarian assistance and disaster response,” Brawner said.
Earlier this month, Manila and Washington announced agreeing to expand American military presence by giving troops access to four new sites in the country. The locations have yet to be announced.
