The Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) and the Philippine Army (PA) conducted capability enhancement trainings while utilizing their modern equipment in Ilocos Norte and Taguig City recently.
Maj. Emery Torre, PMC spokesperson, said Filipino marines engaged in a High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) rapid infiltration (HIRAIN) drill with personnel from the United States Marine Corps Forces, Pacific (MARFORPAC) at the Laoag International Airport in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte last June 8.
The drill was part of the ongoing Marine Aviation Support Activity 2022 (MASA 22) between the PMC and the US MARFORPAC.
“The activity focused on training related to airfield seizure via air assault and HIRAIN as an application of rapid deployment for coastal defense, Torre said in a statement Thursday, June 9.
The PMC acquired the HIMARS to strengthen its archipelagic coastal defense through the use of light multiple rocket launchers.
Meanwhile, a 21-member team from the 525th Engineer Combat Battalion (525ECB), 51st Engineer Brigade trained side-by-side with their counterparts from the Philippine Navy (PN) and Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) in a collapsed structure search and rescue (CSSR) drill in Brgy. Western Bicutan, Taguig City on Thursday.
“The conduct of the drill is geared at enhancing the responders’ CSSR knowledge and skills that are needed in stabilizing and extricating victims trapped in collapsed structures using the safest and most appropriate procedures,” said Col. Xerxes Trinidad, Army spokesperson.
The 525ECB is the Philippine Army’s primary humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR) unit.
The traning was hosted by the Makati Development Corp and Ayala Property Development Corp. Safety Group.