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Ghio Ong - The Philippine Star
April 6, 2025 | 12:00am
The Balikatan Exercises this year are expected to take place late this month until May.
Walter Bollozos
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and its American counterpart held their eight-day Balikatan Exercise 40-25 Integration Training, which focused on maritime law and tactical enforcement.
Ninety PCG officers from various units including the Maritime Security Law Enforcement Command, Special Operations Force, Weapons, Communications, Electronics and Information Systems Command and Fleet Water Group completed the exercises with the United States Coast Guard at the PCG’s headquarters in Port Area, Manila.
The joint exercises ended on April 3.
The personnel undertook trainings in tactical combat casualty care; navigation and communication; basic seamanship; boat handling and towing; radio communications; vessel boarding, search and seizure; VBSS tactics; target vessel approach; tactical boat maneuvers; improvised explosive device and reporting and land navigation, according to the PCG.
Also included in the drills were layered defense stationary zones and moving high value assets; moving HVA escorts; fixed fighting; security zones; night operation tactics; and chemical, biological, explosive, radiological and nuclear drills.
PCG Commodore Arnaldo Lim, exercise director for the PCG Task Force Balikatan 40-25, thanked the USCG’s Port Security Unit 305 for its help in carrying out the drills.
“Your presence here reflects the depth of our alliance and the shared values that bind us across the seas,” said Lim.
He added the PCG’s participation “underscores the growing importance of the law enforcement dimension in this partnership, particularly in areas such as humanitarian assistance, maritime safety and environmental protection.”
The USCG was represented by Port Security Unit 305 commanding officer Commander John Elkins and International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Advisor Commander Christine Igesomar during the graduation rites of the Balikatan exercise.
