By Priam Nepomuceno
MANILA – The “Balikatan” exercises among the Philippines, United States and its allies are not aimed against China, a ranking American military official said on Monday.
“Emphatically no. The exercise really is about reinforcing the alliance and the mutual defense treaty, enhancing our interoperability, strengthening our readiness, and supporting our ability to contribute to security in the region,” U.S. Balikatan exercise director Lt. Gen. Christian Wortman said in a press briefing shortly after the exercise’s opening ceremonies in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.
Wortman noted that “there is no target nation in terms of an adversary force that we’re exercising against.”
“Our exercise objectives are really defined by that interoperability and readiness and our ability to support stability and a full range of operations from humanitarian assistance to security operations,” he added.
Likewise, Wortman said the ongoing conflict in the Middle East did not affect their participation in Balikatan.
“There have only been very minor changes to the exercise forces participating in ‘Balikatan’ due to emergent requirements. All exercise objectives for the United States and our shared objectives, the major components of the exercise remain consistent and fully supportable. So no, there were no changes to the exercise as a result of global operations,” he added.
Likewise, Wortman said they are very excited with the participation of the Japan Self-Defense Forces as it is a product of increased security cooperation between the Philippines, Japan and the U.S.
“So we’re optimistic that they’re being incorporated into the exercise and we look forward to further strengthening these important relationships,” he added.
Aside from the Philippines, U.S., Australia and Japan, other participating nations for Balikatan include Canada, France and New Zealand. Some 17,000 troops from these seven nations will be taking part in the drills set until May 8.
“The final numbers are not yet in, but we anticipate it will be closest to 10,000 US service members participating in the exercise. and that number reflects the strong US commitment to the US-Philippine Mutual Defense Treaty and it’s really the high watermark of our annual training program, which is an enduring training program that we execute in close coordination and cooperation with the Armed Forces of the Philippines,” he added.
Meanwhile, U.S. Embassy in Manila Chargé d’Affaires, a.i., Y. Robert Ewing said this year’s Balikatan marks a significant milestone in the history of the Philippines-U.S. alliance.
“As we gather for the 41st iteration of Balikatan, we do so in celebration of the 75th anniversary of our Mutual Defense Treaty – a cornerstone of peace and stability that has remained not only relevant, but essential, to the security architecture of the Indo-Pacific,” he added. And for 75 years,
Ewing said this treaty has stood as a living testament to the enduring strength of the U.S.-Philippines relationship – adapting to meet new challenges while remaining firmly grounded in our shared values, democratic principles, and common purpose.
“The very name ‘Balikatan,’ meaning ‘shoulder to shoulder,’ captures the essence of our alliance. We do not merely stand beside one another – we stand with one another, sharing responsibilities, facing challenges together, and supporting each other in times of need, whether in response to natural disasters, humanitarian crises, or security threats,” he added.
Ewing also said Balikatan reflects the dynamic and evolving nature of the Alliance — one that continues to strengthen our collective ability to address increasingly complex regional and global challenges.
“This year’s exercise will be the largest in Balikatan’s history, underscoring both the depth of our bilateral ties and the strength of our growing network of like-minded partners. Alongside US and Philippine forces, we are honored to work with participants from the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, France, Japan, and New Zealand as we conduct combined, joint operations across all domains – land, sea, air, cyber, and space,” he added. (PNA)
