U.S., RP troops show skills at Balikatan 2003
U.S.
Ambassador Francis Ricciardone and guests disembark from a military
helicopter at Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija, on May 6 to view American
and Philippine troops' demonstration of the skills they learned
during Exercise Balikatan 2003. (Photo below:) With
the Ambassador were (left to right): Philippine Army 7th
Infantry Division Commanding General Maj. Gen. Alberto Braganza,
Senator Ramon Magsaysay, businessman Luis Ortiz of the Philippine
Chamber of Commerce, and House Speaker Jose de Venecia.
Also
with the Ambassador were Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Amado
Valdez (left) and Zambales Representative James J. Gordon, Jr.
(second, left) also joined the Ambassador in Fort Magsaysay.
Major Gen. Emmanuel Teodosio, Deputy Chief of Staff for Education
and Training greets Ambassador Ricciardone at Fort Magsaysay's
airfield. Balikatan 2003, which is the 19th in the
Balikatan series since the exercises began in 1981, was designed
to continue improvements in combined planning, combat readiness
and interoperability of U.S. and Philippine forces.
About 1,000 U.S. and 2,500 Philippine troops are participating
in the 15-day joint U.S.-Philippines military exercise that will
end on May 9. Aside from participating in the exercises,
U.S. servicemen also visited the Munting Tahanan ng Nazareth Home
for Poor, Abandoned, Handicapped Special Children on May 2 in
Mabalacat, Pampanga, to bring gifts to the children and join them
for lunch.
Ambassador Ricciardone takes the wheel of a U.S. Humvee vehicle
to drive to the Balikatan 2003 training ground in Fort Magsaysay
to view the troops demonstration. The demonstration featured
live fire exercises, static operations and flyovers by Philippine
and U.S. aircraft.
Ambassador Ricciardone answers questions from journalists covering
Balikatan 2003 demonstration in Nueva Ecija. He emphasized
that, consistent with the U.S.-Philippine Mutual Defense Treaty
and the Visiting Forces Agreement between the two countries, the
Balikatan joint exercises show the U.S. resolve to support the
Philippines against external aggression.
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