Balikatan 2025 concludes joint PHl-US maritime drills

Philippine and US forces concluded yesterday their joint drills at sea under the Balikatan exercises, which featured joint sail, medical evacuation and live fire events.

- By MICHAEL PUNONGBAYAN

Lt. Col. John Paul Salgado, chief of the Balikatan 2025 Combined Joint Information Bureau, said the Philippine Navy, the US Navy, US Coast Guard and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) capped six days of Multilateral Maritime Event in the West Philippine Sea, stretching from the waters of Zambales in the vicinity of Subic Bay to the Northern Luzon Command Joint Operational Area.

Overall Balikatan ends on May 9.

During the drills, Salgado said participating forces engaged in various maritime activities including communications drills, division tactics, photo exercises, replenishment at sea, cross-deck landing qualifications, maritime search and rescue operations and gunnery exercises.