Philippines, US seek to revive "rock solid" military alliance —Arevalo

The Philippine and United States military seek to revive its rock solid alliance with this year’s Balikatan Exercises, Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson Major General Edgard Arevalo said.

"Atin pong binubuhay ‘yung sinasabi nating rock solid na alliance between these two armed forces at talagang maipakita natin ‘yung ating interoperability kahit sa ngayon ay planning ang ating magagawa and simulation ng execution,” Arevalo said in an interview with Super Radyo dzBB.

(We are reviving the rock solid alliance between these two armed forces and to show the interoperability even though we are on planning and simulation of execution.)

“Napakalaking bagay pa rin po n’yan na maipakita natin na buhay ang alliance between the United States armed forces and the Philippine armed forces (This is a big thing to show that the alliance between the United States armed forces and Philippine armed forces is not dead)," he added.

This year's training of Philippine and US military will scale down physical activities due to the COVID-19 pandemic and will focus more on "planning and simulation" such as tabletop exercises which can help in case both nations need to use the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT).

The treaty, signed by the Philippines and the US in 1951, states both parties will protect each other in case of an armed attack at the Pacific Area, including the South China Sea.

Arevalo said the participants in the Balikatan exercises are already in the country and in a training bubble.

"Pinagsasanayan ay kung papano, ang tropang Amerikano o ang US armed forces at Philippine armed forces ay tutugon sa kanya kanyang magiging papel sakali kailanganin natin halimbawa na ang Mutual Defense Treaty ay ating matrigger o mabigyang power,"  he added.

(Both troops from the US and the Philippines will learn each other's role in case the MDT will be needed.)

In addition, Arevalo explained that their only kinetic exercise for the joint military training is "call for fire exercise" wherein an aircraft of the US armed forces from Okinawa will be called to give fire support to ground troops.

This year's Balikatan Exercises opened on Monday where 736 from the AFP and 225 from the US Armed Forces participated.

According to the military, the war games will include bilateral staff exercise, close air support training, subject matter exchanges, maritime security training, and humanitarian and civic assistance activities.

The events will be conducted in areas within the Northern Luzon Command and Southern Luzon Command, it added.—AOL, GMA News