By THEPHILBIZNEWS STAFF
In a show of solidarity with the Philippines, American, Australian, and French servicemembers trained shoulder-to-shoulder with the Filipinos at locations throughout the Philippines to increase proficiency in maritime security, amphibious operations, combined arms, aviation operations, and information and cyberspace operations under the 2024 Balikatan Exercises.
On May 10, the Armed Forces of the Philippines hosted the closing ceremony of Exercise Balikatan 2024, marking the successful conclusion of the largest annual combined military exercise between the Republic of the Philippines and the United States of America.
Meanwhile, United States Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson expressed heartfelt gratitude to all those who joined the Balikatan Exercise 2024 during the closing ceremony. She also thanked Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro and all other esteemed guests as Baliktan Exercises ended with a resounding success.
“Over the past three weeks, nearly 12,000 of you – including participants from Australia and France and observers from 14 like-minded nations – took part in impressive training activities across core military functions, fostering robust relationships and deepening expertise. This exercise has taken you everywhere – on land, at sea, in the air, and through cyberspace,” said Ambassador Carlson.
“As we have heard both President Marcos and President Biden said, security and economic prosperity are inextricably linked – and nowhere is that more apparent than in the vitally important Indo-Pacific region. Exercise Balikatan stands as proof of our collective commitment to enhancing interoperability in support of long-term prosperity not only for participant nations but for the world,” she said.
Ambassador Carlson also revealed that she was able to join President Marcos and our military leadership teams at the Combined Coordination Center – Triple C – to watch U.S. and Philippine forces execute a complex live-fire event that demonstrated our alliance’s capability to enforce our mutual defense requirements.
Carlson also noted that this experience was a highlight for her life, not just as US envoy to the Philippines, but also in her diplomatic career spanning 39 years.
“I’m also proud of numerous images showcasing Balikatan participants engaging in a wide range of knowledge and expertise-sharing exercises from tactical operations to strategic maneuvers,” she added.
The US envoy expressed appreciation on the opportunities for service members to come together with Filipino communities, share meals, and engage in competitive sports, such as basketball that foster the spirit of camaraderie and goodwill that extend far beyond military activities.
“As we close this year’s exercise, I want to express my heartfelt appreciation to all. Our service members, especially those experiencing the Philippines for the first time, depart enriched from this remarkable experience,” Ambassador Carlson concluded.