SAN JOSE, Antique (PIA) -- The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the United States Armed Forces (USAF) are staging different activities here as part of this year’s iteration of the Balikatan Exercises, an annual bilateral military exercise between allies --the Philippines and the U.S.

In a press conference on April 12, Lieutenant Colonel Vicel Jan Garsuta, chief of the PA’s 3rd Infantry Division (3ID) Public Affairs Office, said that the joint exercise includes joint civil-military operations, engineer civic action projects, cooperative health engagement, community relations, and cultural exchange, among others.

project completion by the end of April and in time for the culmination of the Exercises on April 28.

For the Panay leg of the Exercises, a Chemical-Biological- Radiological-Nuclear (CBRN) training is also up for execution at the 3ID Headquarters in Camp Gen. Macario Peralta, Jr. in Jamindan town, Capiz.

Garsuta noted that some 70 PA personnel and 80 counterparts from the US are actively participating in the drills in Panay which are intended to strengthen the technical capacity and competencies of and interoperability between the allied forces, especially when responding to crisis situations.

He then expressed his gratitude to the provincial government and concerned national government agencies (NGAs) for their support to the Exercises and assured the public of positive gains for the country’s military and civic society.