The almost two-week joint training exercises of Philippine and Australian navies have kicked off in Cebu City.
The naval exercises, dubbed as Exercise Lumbas 2016, kicked off on October 10 at Naval Forces Central in Cebu where many members of the navies of the respective countries are participating.
This is amidst the decision of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and US troops to end their joint military exercises earlier than the schedule due to President Rodrigo Duterte’s remarks on the presence of American forces in the country.
In a statement on Tuesday, Lt Bennet Christian Nuevarez, public affairs officer of Exercise Lumbas said the joint exercises will end on October 21.
The 12-day joint training exercises aim to enhance interoperability and strengthen the partnership between the forces of the Philippines and Australia.
On the part of the Philippine Navy, three ships will participate in the exercises. These include BRP Abraham Campo, BRP Batak and BRP Agta. Australian Navy, on the other hand, has two ships from the Royal Australian Navy. These include HMAS Larrakia and HMAS Glenelg.
According to Nuevarez, the exercises will be held off the Camotes Sea northeast Cebu while tabletop exercises will be held at Naval Forces Central headquarters in Toledo City.
The conduct of the command post exercise will be facilitated by the Royal Australian Navy. The said exercise aims to test, validate, enhance and evaluate combined or respective doctrines, techniques, tactics and procedures for threat from the sea, piracy and other scenarios.
Nuevarez added that the representatives from local and national government agencies such as the Regional Maritime Group, Philippine Coast Guard, National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, Bureau of Quarantine, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, Provincial Risk Reduction and Management Council and Cebu Port Authority were also invited to participate in the command exercises and subject matter expert exchanges.