‘Bigger’ Balikatan exercise this year

THIS year’s Balikatan exercise between Filipino and American troops scheduled in April will be “larger” than last year’s iteration of the war games, the Armed Forces said yesterday.

In a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo, AFP spokeswoman Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said the upcoming Balikatan will “lean towards quality trainings.”

Last year’s Balikatan involved 17,600 troops on both sides, the largest number of participants since the inception of the exercise in the 1990s. It was highlighted by the sinking of a decommissioned Philippine Navy ship during a live fire training involving air, sea, and ground assets from the two armed forces.

Padilla could not immediately say the number of participants and assets to be employed in the 39th iteration of Balikatan and the specific areas where the trainings will be conducted.

“It’s going to happen in April and it’s going to be bigger than last time and involving more key (locations),” said Padilla.

AFP public affairs office chief Col. Xerxes Trinidad said this year’s Balikatan is still in the “planning phase,” thus the exact number of participants and exercise venues have not been finalized.

Asked if Palawan and Zambales, both fronting the contested West Philippine Sea, will be among the exercise areas, Trinidad said: “Again, the locations are yet to be determined.”

Balikatan is the largest among the many military exercises held annually by the US and the Philippines. They are conducted in keeping with the Mutual Defense Treaty and Visiting Forces Agreement.

Balikatan is y meant to enhance the interoperability of Filipino and US troops in responding to various threats, including aggression from external forces.

“The difference now and last year’s Balikatan is we are going to have more exercises in key (locations) all over the country,” said Padilla.

“We will heavily lean towards quality trainings. We will build upon the success of the last Balikatan. For every Balikatan that we are doing, we are things a little differently,” she added.

Padilla said there are more “challenges” and “complexities” in this year’s Balikatan.

“Aside from kinetic activities and littoral airspace and land space, we will also be doing