Balikatan starts, focuses on maritime security

MANILA, Philippines - With heightened tension over maritime territorial disputes, the Balikatan military exercises between Philippine and US troops will center this year on maritime security and domain awareness.

This was announced by Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin at the official opening of the joint military exercises at Camp Aguinaldo yesterday.

“I am sure that this year’s Balikatan exercises would also zero in on enhancing our combined capacity to undertake humanitarian assistance and disaster response, as well as to deal with security and improve our maritime domain awareness,” he said.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario and US Ambassador Philip Goldberg, as well as Filipino and US military officials, attended the opening.

Del Rosario said the alliance between the Philippines and the US has remained a cornerstone for peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific.

“The Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) elevates to a higher plane our defense engagement and provides new momentum to our partnership,” he said. “This agreement increases the regional significance of our defense alliance, which has been a cornerstone of peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific.”

Del Rosario said the agreement will also boost Philippine capabilities in the areas of maritime security, maritime domain awareness and humanitarian assistance and disaster response.

“We now confront the new threats of terrorism and continue to endure systemic security and economic problems, both regionally and globally,” he said.

Del Rosario said in recent years, tensions in the Asia-Pacific have increased due to excessive and expansive maritime and territorial claims, undermining the rule of law.

“Aggressive patterns of behavior, aimed at changing the status quo, threaten peace and stability in the region,” he said.

“With the launch of the Balikatan exercises today, its 30th iteration, we have once again shown the world the strength and continuing relevance of our alliance, and its ability to confront new challenges.

“With the EDCA, we will be able to preposition equipment in agreed locations, allowing our militaries to respond more rapidly in times of emergencies like Typhoon Yolanda. In responding to the ‘new normal’ like Yolanda, a speedy response means that more lives will be saved.”

Armed Forces Gen. Emmanuel Bautista said Balikatan is a key factor in advancing peace and security in the Asia-Pacific despite the ever evolving regional security challenges.

“For six decades since the signing of the Mutual Defense Treaty in 1951, the Philippines and the United States stood shoulder to shoulder in commitment to peace, security, stability and development,” he said.

“This year’s Balikatan focuses on maritime security, and the conduct of exercises will result to a platform for regional engagement and the development of military capabilities, advance our operability and capacity in joint planning and execution.”

US exercise director Marine Col John Rutherford said the joint training is not being done to threaten any nation.

“This growing capability is not a threat to other nations but, in fact, promotes regional security,” he said.

Philippine exercise director Maj. Gen. Emeraldo Magnaye said the series of joint collaboration and training has enhanced the skills, capability and methodologies that both forces can use in dealing with man-made and natural calamities.

“More than just a joint military program that aims at enhancing our combat readiness, the series of Balikatan exercises has continued to evolve into an activity that surpassed its original intent and that is promoting regional peace and stability by ensuring interoperability and readiness of both forces,” he said.

Balikatan would test the combat readiness of Filipino and US troops to respond to any maritime threats, including piracy and humanitarian assistance and disaster response.

Nearly 5,500 American and Filipino troops are taking part in the two-week exercise in different parts of Luzon.

It will see US F-18 fighters rehearse bombing runs and troops involved in live fire drills.

Venues of this year’s Balikatan will be Eastern Visayas and the Bicol region; and Palawan, Tarlac, Pampanga, Zambales and Nueva Ecija.

In Eastern Visayas and Bicol, the joint exercises will be mainly humanitarian activities.

In Central Luzon, as well as Palawan, it will be on maritime security and maritime awareness training.

Palawan and Zambales are two provinces that have territorial jurisdictions over the Kalayaan Island Group and the Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal that China has included in its all-encompassing maritime claim to almost the entire South China Sea.

US and Filipino military planners said the training in Palawan and Zambales will just be confined to table-top exercises.

Military communications, tactics and doctrines will be revisited to further enhance interoperability between Filipino and US forces.

In Central Luzon, live air and ground fire exercises will be held at Crow Valley in Tarlac, while joint and survival combat training will be held in the jungles of Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija.

Protesters picket DND

Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) picketed yesterday the Department of National Defense (DND) to protest the opening of this year’s Balikatan.

Bayan secretary-general Renato Reyes said Balikatan, like EDCA, does not benefit the Filipino people.

“Our AFP will not modernize just because we conduct war games with US forces,” he said.

“Our capacity to defend our territory against China will not be improved just because there are training exercises. It is silly that China is even being mentioned since the US has expressed its non-committal to defend the Philippines in the event of an armed confrontation with China.”

Reyes said the opening of five military facilities to US forces will make the Balikatan a year-long event.

“The EDCA assures that thousands of US forces will be rotated in the Philippines,” he said.

“The Balikatan that takes place for 10 days will transform into the permanent stationing of troops all year round.”

Quoting the website of Marine Corps Times, Reyes said more Marines will likely rotate through the country under the new agreement, possibly even evolving to a semi-permanent and regular rotation like the one in Darwin, Australia.

“As it stands, the deal will give the US greater access to Filipino ports, airfields and military bases,” he quoted the website as saying. – With Helen Flores, Rhodina Villanueva