By Priam F. Nepomuceno
The Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) on Monday announced that it will be hosting "PHIBLEX 14" this coming Sept. 18 with some 2,300 US and Philippine servicemen undergoing a three-week interoperability training.
The activity includes bilateral air-ground and amphibious training as well as staff planning exercise.
The bilateral amphibious exercise will be conducted with the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit and 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade from the United States Marine Corps.
US forces will be paired with the joint Philippine Navy, Air force and Army units on a subject matter expertise exchange activities.
The exercise will be conducted within selected camps of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) such as the Naval Education and Training Command in San Antonio, Zambales; Crow Valley in Capas, Tarlac; Marine Base Gregorio Lim in Ternate, Cavite; Marine Barracks Rudiardo Brown in Metro Manila; and at the Basa Airbase in Clark Field, Pampanga.
"PHIBLEX 14" is designed to improve interoperability, increase readiness and enhance the ability of both countries to respond to natural disasters or other regional contingencies.
It will enhance local infrastructure and quality of life and build upon vibrant professional and personal relationships between Philippine and US Marines.
The bilateral Philippine-US Marine Corps training, consisting of a staff planning exercise, field training exercises and humanitarian and civic assistance projects, sustains and reinforces the foundation and framework for a bilateral force to respond rapidly and effectively to regional humanitarian crises.
The staff planning exercise will increase the capability to conduct bilateral maritime security and territorial defense operations.
The field training exercises will provide the Philippine and US Marine units an opportunity to maintain their unit skill sets while sharing best practices and enhancing an already high level of interoperability.
Additionally, Philippine and US forces will carry out a series of humanitarian and civic assistance (HCA) projects that will include engineering civic action projects, to improve local infrastructure, and cooperative health engagements, to share medical best practices, promote civil military relations with the community while advancing humanitarian interests and meet the medical needs of Filipino citizens.
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