Balikatan exercises to be adjusted, says AFP

MANILA, Philippines - Trainings exercises to be conducted in next month’s Balikatan may be adjusted due to the US troops’ role in relief efforts in quake-hit areas in Japan, the military said.

Maj. Enrico Ileto, Balikatan spokesman of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), said the joint military exercise will push through on April 5 to 15 despite the adjustments.

“The Balikatan will take place as scheduled but there may be some adjustments on field training exercises and command post exercises because of the US military support to relief efforts in Japan where some units are scheduled to participate with the AFP,” he said without elaborating.

US press attaché Rebecca Thompson confirmed this in a text message. “There may be some adjustments,” she said without elaborating.

Ileto said development projects like the construction of classrooms will continue as planned.

He said they still do not know if the number of US troops who will participate in Balikatan will be downsized. Some 6,000 US soldiers and 2,000 AFP personnel are expected to join the military exercise.

This year’s Balikatan marks the 27th holding of the bilateral exercise. The term “balikatan” is a Filipino word that means “shoulder-to-shoulder” and reflects the intent of the exercise.

The Balikatan will focus on revitalizing the interoperability of Philippine and US military forces in post-conflict response through disaster rehabilitation and rural development projects.

These projects include engineering, medical, dental and veterinary civic action programs, and community relations activities.   

Exercises will be held in Palawan, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, Zambales, and Cavite City.

“Balikatan 2011 is an opportunity to ensure that humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts are efficient and effective,” AFP chief Gen. Eduardo Oban Jr. said in a statement.

Ileto said the construction of five two-room school buildings under the humanitarian and civic assistance and community relations program in Tarlac and Zambales was started last March 4 and will be finished before the closing ceremony on April 15.

“Although the exercise will officially start on April 5, these engineering projects started earlier since construction takes days to complete and to ensure they are of quality and safe for the community prior to the closing ceremony,” Ileto said.