CAMP AGUINALDO, Philippines --
Exercise Balikatan 2013, an annual bilateral training exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and U.S. military forces, is scheduled to begin with an opening ceremony held at the Commissioned Officers’ Club aboard Camp Aguinaldo, starting at 9 a.m.
The ceremony will be presided over by the chief of staff for the AFP Gen. Emmanuel Bautista, U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Harry K. Thomas, Jr., and Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Albert Del Rosario.
BK13 is the 29th iteration in a series of recurring bilateral events hosted annually by the Philippine and U.S. militaries focusing on the longstanding Philippine-U.S. partnership, deeply rooted in cooperation and our shared commitment to the mutual defense treaty.
The exercise will consist of humanitarian civic assistance projects, various senior leader engagements, a command post exercise, field training exercises, and maritime security and ship drills to enhance Philippine-U.S. military interoperability, improve combined and joint-force planning, and build military-to-military relations.
More than 8,000 combined Philippine and U.S. personnel will be participating in the exercise, which will take place at various locations throughout Luzon. The exercise is scheduled to conclude April 17.
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Members of the media are welcome to cover the following events. Please contact the Public Affairs Office, Armed Forces of the Philippines, at 632-9116439/57 or email afppao@gmail.com.
- Friday, April 5: Opening Ceremony at the Commissioned Officers’ Club at Camp Aguinaldo, followed by a press conference with AFP Maj. Gen. Virgilio Domingo, BK13 exercise director, and U.S. Marine Brig. Gen. Richard Simcock, BK13 exercise deputy director. Media will need to meet at the AFP Public Affairs Office by 8 a.m.
- Monday, April 8: Medical Symposium at Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Hospital in Zambales. Media will need to meet at the AFP Public Affairs Office by 5 a.m.
- Friday, April 12: Demonstration of live-fire drills at Crow Valley Range in Tarlac. Media will need to meet at the AFP Public Affairs Office by 5 a.m.
- Saturday, April 13: Bilateral live-fire field training exercises and community relations event at Fort Magsaysay. Media will need to meet at the AFP Public Affairs Office by 5 a.m.
- Saturday, April 13: Air operations and aircraft static display at Clark Field. Media will need to meet at the AFP Public Affairs Office by 6 a.m.
- Sunday, April 14: Dedication ceremony of a 60-meter suspension foot bridge at Barangay San Pascual in Zambales. Media will need to meet at the AFP Public Affairs Office by 5 a.m.
- Monday, April 15: Multinational Maritime Disaster Response Tabletop Discussion opening ceremony at Camp Aguinaldo. Media will need to meet at the AFP Public Affairs Office by 8 a.m.
- Wed., April 17: Closing Ceremony at the Commissioned Officers’ Club aboard Camp Aguinaldo. Media will need to meet at the AFP Public Affairs Office by 9 a.m.
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