Army to rehearse mobilization in Visayas, Mindanao

The Philippine Army's Combined Arms Training Exercise Katihan has been expanded to include areas in the Visayas and Mindanao to test its command and control capabilities for territorial defense.

Participants will move to consolidation areas including Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija, as well as the new training sites for this year, Camp Peralta in Capiz and Camp Kibaritan in Bukidnon.

“This time we are rehearsing mobilization in Mindanao and the Visayas region. Two areas so we are now expanding,” Philippine Army chief Lieutenant General Roy Galido said in a press conference.

“If we would want to simulate a national crisis situation when it comes to territorial defense, it's the Army's ability for command and control,” Galido said.

“Meaning, wherever you are located in the country, you should be able to command and control the forces. This is what we will be focusing on. We can mobilize our units anywhere in the country. Move them from one area to another,” he added.

More platforms, which arrived this year, will be tested in the exercise.

“Last year you saw just a few units of our light tanks, but now we have more so we will rehearse its utilization…Well, it's our platform to deliver fires, just like tanks, artilleries,” Galido said.

“And that's the role of the Army, to be able to prevent physical occupation of the land and to be able to push them back in case the scenario would exist,” he added.

While CATEX will officially start on March 3, Galido said the mobilization of around 6,000 participants started on Monday. –NB, GMA Integrated News