FORT BONIFACIO, Metro Manila – Philippine Army (PA) and U.S. Army Pacific (USARPAC) planners concluded the week-long planning conference for next year’s scaled-up iteration of Salaknib—an annual combined exercise geared at strengthening interoperability of both armies in a spectrum of military operations—at the Hotel Conrad in Pasay City.
Philippine Army and USARPAC planners, during the course of the activity, laid out the foundation for next year’s Salaknib. Nearly 3,000 troops from the USARPAC’s 25th Infantry Division and the Philippine Army are set to take part in the exercise’s two phases that will be held in Central and Northern Luzon and Mindanao.
“While this Initial Planning Conference culminates today, I hope that you continue to exert the same effort in constantly and collaboratively improving and refining your respective working concept slides in such a way that the benefits of this training exercise through the various activities and subject matter expert exchanges will be maximized and optimized to both armies’ advantage,” Philippine Army Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff for Education and Training (DG8), Col. Emmanuel L. Cabasan said in his remarks.
The Commanding General, Philippine Army Lt. Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. earlier said that the annual combined exercise is a testament to the “long-standing bilateral relations” between the Philippines and the U.S. that will contribute to the “pursuit of a common goal of maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific region. (VICTOR BALDEMOR)
