The Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) and the United States Marine Corps (USMC) improved their interoperability in a wide array of operations with the conclusion of the Marine Exercise 2022 Philippines (MAREX 22 PH) recently.
Major Emery Torre, PMC spokesperson, said in a statement on Friday, Feb. 4, that Filipino and American Marines participated in various capability-building exercises such as jungle operations subject matter expert exchange, insertion techniques, and beachmaster management.
They also trained in combined amphibious planning, drills, and execution using the USMC’s landing craft air cushion, as well as ship visit in the Western Command (WESCOM) area of responsibility in Palawan.
This command is responsible for all military operations in the West Philippine Sea.
In Tawi-Tawi under the Western Mindanao Command (WESMINCOM), the exercise included extensive humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR) training, medical subject matter expert exchange; visit, board, search, seizure; jungle operations, casualty evacuation, close quarter training, boat raid, and vertical assaults using USMC’s MV-22 Osprey Tiltrotor.
The exercises were conducted from January 28 to 31 while the closing ceremony was held virtually last Wednesday, Feb. 2.
Vice Admiral Adeluis Bordado, Flag Officer in Command of the Philippine Navy (PN), was elated with the results of the joint drills as he lauded all Filipino and US marines who participated in it.
"We achieved the objectives of the exercise with the various activities conducted under MAREX 22 PH. We were able to strengthen and improve both countries’ readiness in crisis response, littoral and coastal defense operations, and combined interoperability in internal security, counter-terrorism, and HADR operations," said Bordado, who served as the Guest of Honor and Speaker during the closing ceremony.
Meanwhile, Lt. Gen. Steven Rudder, commander of the USMC Pacific Forces, ackniwledged the importance of MAREX 22 PH both to the Unuted States and the Philippines.
"By training together, we boost our joint ability to enhance mission defense and respond to natural disasters," Rudder said.
"I believe this exercise and future exercises like it will provide an opportunity for the Philippine Marine Corps Coastal Defense Regiment and our future Marine Littoral Regiment to train together to further develop our capability towards increased interoperability," he added.
MAREX 22 PH is a bilateral exercise that aims to develop the PMC AND USMC's interoperability in amphibious operations in support of counter-terrorism, internal security operations, and humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR).