(UPDATE) Phl, US begin joint military exercises

MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) - Troops from the Philippines and the United States formally began today their annual joint military exercises dubbed as Balikatan.

The 30th annual joint military drill will involve 3,000 Filipino soldiers and 2,500 American soldiers.

Philippine and US officials attended the opening ceremony of the Balikatan exercises which were held in Camp Aguinaldo, in the Philippine capital region of Metro Manila.

"This year's Balikatan exercises will zero in towards enhancing our combined capacity to undertake humanitarian assistance and disaster response as well as to deal with maritime security," said Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin in his speech during the opening ceremony.

US Ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg, for his part, said this year's Balikatan is "significant," particularly since it is being held after the Enhanced Cooperation Defense Agreement was forged by Manila and Washington last month.

The annual joint military exercises will run until May 16.

The staff planing exercises are scheduled to be held in Camp Aguinaldo and in Western Command in the western Philippine city of Puerto Princesa. Field training exercises will be conducted in military camps in northern Philippines.