MANILA, Philippines – Over the course of 18 days, Philippine and US troops trained across the archipelago for the 2024 iteration of the yearly military exercise. It’s the “most complex” version yet – a response to the “complex security challenges” in the world today.
In Palawan and in the West Philippine Sea, the Philippines and the United States trained alongside the French Navy. In Batanes, troops conducted drills, including an “island-taking” exercise. In Ilocos Norte, the two militaries practice fending off an amphibious attack and are able to sink a ship – the decommissioned BRP Lake Caliraya – using assets from the Philippines, US, and Australia.
Military leaders said the exercises showed commitment to the shared goal of a “free and open Indo-Pacific” and should “give pause to any adversaries” who go against these shared values.
Planning for Balikatan 2025 begins right away – just an hour after Balikatan 2024 ended on Friday, May 10. Next year, plans are even more ambitious – the Philippines eyes a “full battle simulation.”
Rappler’s Bea Cupin gives us a recap on the three weeks of Balikatan in the Philippines and what this year’s version of the exercises mean for PH-US bilateral relations and beyond. – Rappler.com
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