The 28th military exercises between Marine forces from the country and the US under the Philippines-US Bilateral Exercises 2012 will test the interoperability between the two militaries.

1Lt. Cherry Tindog, Philippine Marines spokesman, said as part of the training, Marine forces will also test their disaster-response preparedness and undertake community development and humanitarian assistance projects.

The training exercises will be held simultaneously in different areas, including Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija; Basa Air Base in Floridablanca, Pampanga; Marine Barracks Gregorio Lim in Ternate, Cavite; Crow Valley in Tarlac; Naval Station San Miguel in San Antonio, Zambales; and in Palawan.

“The joint military training exercises aim to formulate and assess concepts for the Unilateral Defense Plan [UDP]. Furthermore, it also envisions evaluating concepts for transition from UDP to Bilateral Defense Plan to post-conflict response,” Tindog said.

Tindog said in Palawan, more than four Marine battalions will simulate a boat raid, rather than make a regular boat landing.

He said in Tarlac, Marine forces will undertake live-firing exercises and it will be participated in by the Philippine Marines’ assault armor battalion.

The US sent its 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, which was brought by the USS Germantown.

(Rene Acosta)