PHL-US military exercises eyed in western Leyte

ORMOC CITY, Leyte, Sept. 15 (PNA) -- A group of American and Filipino soldiers visited this city on Wednesday to talk about bringing the Balikatan military exercises in the city in April 2017.

Ormoc City Mayor Richard Gomez expressed his support to the proposal in the bid to enhance the peace and order in the community and improve the quality of life of city residents.

“The peace and order of the city is our priority program and everything else will follow,” Gomez said.

Balikatan exercises are designed to maintain and develop the security relationship between the Philippines and the United States Armed Forces through crisis-action planning, humanitarian assistance, enhanced training to counter terrorism and promote inter-operability of the forces.

Capt. Louis Kalmar, humanitarian and civic assistance planner of the Philippine-US Balikatan program said aside from the enhanced military training there will be medical mission, humanitarian assistance.

Among these are the construction of new school buildings and toilets in classrooms, renovations of school buildings, providing books and learning materials and other capabilities needed by students and the community.

Asked if the move of President Rodrigo Duterte to pull out the US Armed Forces in Mindanao will not affect the planned Balikatan, Gomez said that “since the move to pull them out is not yet final, it is best to push through with the initial talks to do Balikatan here.”

“What will benefit most the people of Ormoc, will always be my priority,” he said.

Capt Kalmar said they will return to Ormoc in December to finalize the Balikatan 2017 plans.

Balikatan is a Tagalog word meaning "shoulder-to-shoulder.” The exercises have been the cornerstone of Philippines–US military relations since the US bases in the Philippines closed. (PNA)
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