Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City— The Armed Forces of the
Philippines (AFP) and the United States Armed Forces (USAF) will
conclude tomorrow the Balikatan 2012 (BK12) after two weeks of military
exercises, civic action, humanitarian assistance and disaster response
(HA/DR) operations involving the two countries.
The
closing ceremony that will be held at the Tejeros Hall of the AFP
Commissioned Officers Club here at Camp Aguinaldo will cap the third
Balikatan that focused on HADR training. The joint exercise featured
Civil-Military Operations activities, including the Engineering Civic
Action Program (ENCAP) where engineers from the AFP and USAF constructed
five school buildings in Palawan.
The beneficiaries of
ENCAP were Tagbarungis Elementary School and Inagawan National High
School in Brgy Tagbarungis, Kandis III Elementary School in Brgy Sta
Bacungan, Sta Cruz Elementary School in Brgy Sta Cruz, and Buena Vista
Elementary School in Brgy Buena Vista all in Puerto Princesa City,
Palawan.
Other Community Relations activities were also
held including the Futbol Clinic with the Philippine Azkals in Camp
Aguinaldo, Basketball rehab and hoops with the Philippine Air Force
(PAF) in Clark Airfield, Futbol Clinic with PAF in Zambales Halfway
House, Futbol Clinic in Fort Magsaysay Parade Ground, Carpentry/Masonry
Training in Fort Magsaysay, Student Tour in Clark Airfield, and
Army/Navy Sports Challenge in Subic Bay Athletic Complex.
BK12
kicked off with a Senior Leaders’ Seminar (SLS) on HA/DR that focused
on experiential exchanges to further improve operations, procedures, and
policies on emergency disaster responses. The SLS pump primed the
Command Post Exercises that involved participants from Japan, Australia,
Indonesia, Malaysia and South Korea.
The most notable
presentation came from Captain Yuzo Shibata of Japan Self Defense Force
who gave his country’s disaster response mechanisms and experiences,
including the 9.0 earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan in 2011.
BK12
also featured the boat raid in Palawan that simulated an actual port
and base recovery exercise. It involved troops from the USAF and the AFP
aboard the BRP Laguna that later released 12 rubber boats about four to
five miles off the shore of Ulugan Bay.
A series of free
medical, dental and veterinary services were held in Palawan that
started on April 9 up to April 27 as part of the Civic Action Programs.
Included also in the activities were medical trainings for rural health
workers, a medical symposium, and a combat lifesaver course.
Soldiers
from both countries also paid tribute to the fallen heroes of World War
II in a Wreath Laying Ceremony attended by 7th Infantry Division
Commander BGen Alan Luga and US Army Pacific Command Deputy Commander
MGen Roger Matthews at Pangatian Shrine in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija.
Among
those who are expected to attend the closing ceremony are AFP Chief of
Staff General Jessie D Dellosa; US Exercise Director Lt. Gen. Duane
Thiessen; PH Exercise Director RAdm Victor Emmanuel Martir; Defense
Secretary Voltaire Gazmin; and US Ambassador to Manila Harry K Thomas.
Representatives from the Senate and House, Department of Foreign
Affairs, Diplomatic Corps, National Disaster Risk Reduction Management
Council, and other government agencies are also expected to attend.
“I
am truly grateful of the success of the Balikatan 2012. The Table Top
and Field Training Exercises (FTX) have opened up new avenues and widen
the horizon for new opportunities for international participation and
partnership in ensuring regional security and stability,” Gen Dellosa
said.
“As the curtain closes down on this year’s
Balikatan, I would like to express my gratitude to the American soldiers
and foreign partners who gave their valuable time to share their
experiences, best practices, and different approaches in dealing with
various types of situations and security challenges that the country
might confront in the future,” Gen Dellosa added.
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Armed Forces of the Philippines | April 26, 2012 | Article Link
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