Balikatan to showcase Philippines' archipelagic defense

MANILA, Philippines —The Philippines’ upcoming joint annual Balikatan military exercises with the United States – this time also with France – will showcase the new archipelagic defense concept of the Marcos administration, according to the military.

“This Balikatan will be a showcase of our capabilities in performing our mandate in accordance with the comprehensive archipelagic defense concept unveiled recently by the Department of National Defense,” Balikatan executive agent Col. Michael Logico said yesterday.

Asked about the coming event’s possible repercussions on the country’s problem with Chinese bullying and intimidation in the West Philippine Sea, Logico said: “Well, that’s their problem, that’s not our problem.”

He said naval drills, as part of the exercise, would be held up to the edge of the country’s 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) where the Ayungin Shoal and other features being claimed by China are situated.

“We will go out of the 12 nautical miles of our territorial waters.  We will do our exercise beyond that, up to the edge of our exclusive economic zone, 200 nautical miles,” he said over dzBB.

“So that means that our exercises, our defense concepts have to go beyond 12 nautical miles in order for us to protect our national interest within our territory, within our territorial waters and also within the exclusive economic zone,” he said.

For the naval drills, Logico said the Armed Forces of the Philippines would be engaging primarily with the US and with “strong participation” of the Australian Defense Force and the French Navy.

He revealed that France would be sending a frigate to participate in the sea exercises. The Philippine Coast Guard and US Coast Guard will also be part of the drill.

Logico said at least 14 countries including Japan, South Korea, India, Canada, the United Kingdom, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia, Germany and New Zealand would be sending observers.

“Every country, big or small, has the absolute and inalienable right to defend itself,” he said, citing President Marcos’ order for the military to strengthen its external defense capabilities.

“So naturally, if you are tasked to defend the country, it is understood that you have to train for that. This is the reason why we do Balikatan Exercise. We are exercising not only at the tactical level but also for the operational, strategic level. That is the purpose of this exercise,” he pointed out.

“We want to have confidence not only in our equipment but also in our own people and also in our own leadership. That’s why we exercise with our treaty allies, the Americans, in order for us to understand each other’s doctrine and understand each other’s capabilities,” he said.

“When the time comes that we have to go to work together, we will be very confident in the capabilities of our treaty allies,” he added.

Logico said this year’s 39th iteration of the Balikatan exercises – from the third week of April to the first week of May – will be another opportunity for the AFP to test the capabilities of its personnel as well as its assets on land, air and sea.

He said non-kinetic or non-physical training activities would also be carried out like information warfare exercises and staff exercises, which basically involve decision-making, and cyber warfare exercises.

In the past, he pointed out that joint-training events were held mostly inside military camps like Fort Magsaysay, Crow Valley, and the Naval Education Training Command in Zambales.

“However, those areas, we are already very familiar with those areas. They offer no more surprises. So the only way for us to upscale or to upgrade our training is to start training in challenging areas, areas that we believe will provide the best benefit for our soldiers, and at the same offer new challenges,” Logico said.

In a related development, a Japanese diplomat lauded the joint anti-submarine drill to be held on Sunday in the waters of Palawan by the Philippines, Japan, US and Australia as “great news.”

“Time is ripe for those upholding the rule of law Philippines, Japan, United States and Australia to join voices & forces,” Japan’s former ambassador to Australia, Shingo Yamagami, said on X. “After all, common sense, not might, shall prevail.” – Pia Lee-Brago, Ghio Ong