EXPLAINER: What is Balikatan Exercise?

Balikatan Exercise is the largest annual military exercise between the Philippines and the United States to boost defense cooperation and improve joint operational readiness between the two countries.

The term “balikatan” is a Filipino word for “shoulder-to-shoulder.”

According to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the drills are rooted in the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) between the Philippines and the United States.

Under the treaty, the two countries commit to support each other in the event of an external armed attack.

According to globasecurity.org, the first Balikatan exercise was held in 1991.

In 1995, the Philippines stopped the Balikatan because of a dispute over the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), which gives the US jurisdiction over crimes committed by military personnel while on duty in a foreign country. 

The VFA establishes rules for the presence and activities of American troops in the Philippines.

In 1999, the Balikatan Exercise resumed.

Now in its 41st iteration, the AFP said the Balikatan has been held for over four decades and has evolved from primarily tactical training into a complex, multi-domain exercise encompassing maritime security, cyber defense, and humanitarian assistance operations.

Balikatan is designed to enhance the interoperability of the AFP and the US military through joint combined training operations, counterterrorism, and maritime security drills.

Humanitarian assistance and disaster response activities are also included in the drills.

Aside from field exercises, the partnership also involves training and logistics agreements. 

The AFP said Balikatan has expanded in scale and scope, incorporating participation from other partner nations and reflecting the growing emphasis on interoperability and regional security cooperation. — RSJ, GMA News