By Priam Nepomuceno
MANILA – The Philippine Army (PA) and the United States Army Pacific (USARPAC) on Monday kicked off the ‘Salaknib and Balikatan’ Exercises (SABAK) 2025, aimed at enhancing land defense capabilities.
PA spokesperson Col. Louie Dema-ala, in a statement, said PA vice commander Maj. Gen. Leodevic Guinid led the opening of the drills at Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija.
Some 5,000 soldiers –3,000 from the PA and 2,000 from the USARPAC– are participating in the ‘Salaknib’ portion of the exercise.
“‘SABAK’ 2025 brings together the PA and USARPAC forces in a robust joint exercise across key locations in the Philippines. The exercise, designed as a continuous operation, focuses on enhancing combined/joint all-domain operations, reinforcing warfighting capabilities, and showcasing a strong bilateral commitment to safeguarding the Philippines’ territorial integrity,” Dema-ala said.
He said these troops will take part in various subject matter expert exchange and warfighting exercises.
Dema-ala said the first phase of “Salaknib” will take place from March 24 to April 11 while the second part will be on May 15 to July 20 and will be held in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City and the area of operations of the Isabela-based 5th Infantry Division and the Nueva Ecija-headquartered 7th Infantry Division.
Meanwhile, this year’s edition of the “Balikatan” exercise is set from late April to mid-May this year.
Dema-ala said “SABAK” 2025 is aimed at strengthening defense readiness and will also provide critical training in humanitarian civil assistance, information operations, counter-intelligence, and protection.
The exercise will tackle capability enhancement on operational command and control, combined arms force-on-force, large-scale operational maneuvers, combined arms live-fire exercise, and sustainment operations in support of external security operations.
“The PA continues to develop and enhance its capabilities in partnership with its allies. Through joint exercises like ‘SABAK’ 2025, the Army further solidifies its readiness to respond to evolving threats and upholds its vital role in the nation’s land defense as part of the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) broader mission in external security operations,” Dema-ala said. (PNA)
