18 August 2004 – Foreign Affairs Secretary Delia Doming Albert cites the success of the recently concluded RP-US joint military training exercises as a testament to the  enduring strength of Philippines – United States relations especially in the area of defense cooperation.   Secretary Albert congratulated the organizers and military personnel involved in the successful conclusion of the three-week joint military training exercise, codenamed “Balanced Piston 04-3”, from 26 July to 13 August 2004.   “This joint military training shows that our relations with the United States are firmly on track.  It has benefited the Philippines with the training of 199 soldiers of the Philippine Army 602nd Brigade in marksmanship, combat medical skills and small unit tactics.  The local community likewise benefited from the exercises with medical and dental missions.”

The exercises were held in Carmen, in Region XII, Central Mindanao, the first time ever in this part of the country. Philippine and American military officials said the exercises were conducted successfully.   The training is a component of the military assistance program under the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), extended by the United States to the Philippines to boost the capabilities of its armed forces. Under the VFA, the Philippines and United States hold multiple joint military exercises in areas that change annually. More than military capacity- building, the program has a socio-civil dimension that prepares and engages soldiers in humanitarian and community-service work.

The local governments of Carmen and Kabacan welcomed the holding of the “Balanced Piston 04-3” exercises, expressing active support and approval for the activity. Two thousand residents of these municipalities benefited from the medical and dental services provided by Filipino and American military doctors in the civil military operations.

Simultaneous with “Balanced Piston 04-3”, two more Army training exercises are being held in Western and Eastern Mindanao. Exercise Pangdagat Lupa at Himpapawid (PALAH 05-1), which started on 05 August and will end on 31 December 2004, is a navy-to-navy special operation exercise involving combat troops of the Philippine Special Warfare Group and the US Navy Seals.  RP-US Joint Advisors Intel Fusion Teams (MTT for Operations and Intel Center) is an information exchange exercise headed by the Philippine Navy.

An additional exercise involving naval maneuvers is being readied for October.  However, the details for the exercise are not yet complete. END