The annual military exercises dubbed Balikatan is set to begin in May this year, ahead of President Rodrigo Duterte’s trips to controversial allies China and Russia.
The war games is not without its share of controversies in the past year, with reports of a Filipino paratrooper participating in the drills accidentally falling to his death and a group of US soldiers caught on video engaging in a brawl in Palawan both last year.
US troops who will be part of the drills arrived in the Philippines on Monday, Rappler reported.
Quoting a statement from the US embassy, the news agency said the Philippine and United States (US) forces “will kick off Exercise Balikatan 33-2017 through community engagement activities in Panay, Leyte, and Samar.”
“US and Filipino service members will work together to renovate 5 schools and conduct community medical engagements with local residents in the opening days of the 12-day military training exercise,” the US embassy said.
“Preliminary work on community infrastructure projects began mid-April,” it added.
Last year unlike this year, Balikatan exercises were also held in Palawan which is near the disputed areas in the West Philippine Sea.
Local reports said the exercises this year iis focused on humanitarian and disaster response as well as counter-terrorism efforts.
The Philippines and the US are long-time military allies.
