Balikatan goes humanitarian

Balikatan 2017 has formally opened. The US servicemen from the unit Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 85 “Firehawks” were part of American forces that would hold annual “Balikatan (shoulder-to-shoulder)” military exercises with their Philippine counterparts. The Firehawks is part of a US Navy reserve helicopter squadron based in San Diego, California. In a statement, the US Embassy in Manila said US forces would conduct civic activities in different areas of the Philippines, including the provinces of Panay, Leyte and Samar. Moreover, US and Philippine soldiers taking part in Balikatan, the embassy said, would renovate schools and deliver medical services. US and Philippine soldiers would hold Balikatan exercises for two months in Panay, Leyte and Samar. The military exercises will run from May 8 to 19.

The opening of Balikatan 2017 is being carried out amid President Duterte’s retreat from a foreign policy heavily tilted toward the United States. To back up this push, American soldiers continued to try to win hearts and minds in noncombat components of military exercises with the Philippine Armed Forces in the islands of Luzon and Visayas. In a more obvious observation, they are trying to gain a good traction with Duterte’s shoulder to enhance more of its cooperation initiative beyond defense. For example, on April 28, sailors from the Military Sealift Command’s Expeditionary Port Unit 111 visited Gordon College in Olongapo to donate 22 boxes of books and first-aid supplies. Moreover, they also delivered medical and dental supplies to James L. Gordon Memorial Hospital and handed out stuffed toys and gifts to young patients there. Furthermore, another batch of US Navy officers and enlisted servicemen from USNS Pecos donated hygiene supplies and clothes to Olongapo City Development Center for Girls. They also donated soccer balls and jersey uniforms to Dragonball Kickers, a local youth soccer team.

Another thing to ponder is that last year, four units joined the Balikatan maneuvers: CentCom, NolCom, the Southern Luzon Command and Western Command. This year, Cebu-based Central Command (CentCom) and the Northern Luzon Command (NolCom) will participate in the exercises. This may be due to Duterte’s order not allowing US military influence to be on the ground of his native land in Mindanao. In effect, the role of US now in this 2017 Balikatan can be expected under a new shift of military influence in any sort. It is going to be more of a softened approach unlike the previous years. Politics really is powerful in the edge of any agreement and exercise thereof. 

I hope this Balikatan will strengthen disaster response and counter-terrorism training. It will help the Philippines to capacitate its men in line with combat military operation. US has been a long-running military ally in the Asia Pacific. On the other hand, this will help our men to quell more militants and destabilizers in the South especially the killings of innocent lives and illegal activities of ASG and NPA combined. – Maria Jumela E. Decena, Silang, Cavite