PH Army now uses simulated invasion for training

The Philippine Army is now conducting exercises with a simulation that the country is under an invasion, Army chief Lieutenant General Roy Galido said on Wednesday.

In a Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon interview, Galido said the Army’s Combined Arms Training Exercise (CATEX) “Katihan” involves large-scale formations that will move from Visayas and Mindanao going to Luzon.

“'Yung ilalagay mo sa isang lugar 'yung maraming units from different parts of the country. Kumbaga sinisimulate mo 'yung possible security situation na may sasakop sa ating bansa. Ngayon, this will entail moving units from Visayas, Mindanao, to Luzon,” he said.

(Many units from different parts of the country will move in one place. Like we are simulating the possible security situation that someone will occupy our country. Now, this will entail moving units from Visayas and Mindanao to Luzon.)

“Ito po ay ginagawa natin para ma-ensayo po ang mga units natin sa bagong tungkulin nito na i-defend ang ating lupa (We are doing this so that we can train our units for their new duty to defend our land),” he added.

On March 8, the Philippine Army held a send-off ceremony for the participating troops at the Combat Readiness Training Area in Laur, Nueva Ecija.

CATEX high command head 5th Infantry Division Commander Major General Audrey Pasia pointed out the importance of the training in enhancing their shift to territorial defense operations.

The training aims to test the Army’s capability to move, maneuver, and sustain large-scale forces during combat operations.

According to the Army, different warfighting functions are integrated in the training.

CATEX will wrap up with a review that will be held at the Training and Doctrine Command's headquarters in Camp O’Donnell in Capas, Tarlac on March 18.

The AFP Northern Luzon Command likewise trained at least 100 residents to become army reservists in Bataan, Ivan Mayrina reported on “24 Oras.''

The reservists were taught a range of skills, including combat and firearms training, as well as simulating situations of invasion.

“We need to actually activate our reservists nationwide kasi in cases of emergency, kailangan ma-upgrade or ma-intensify 'yung defense posture natin sa Norte,” said Lieutenant Colonel Rodrigo Lutao, NOLCOM PIO chief, clarifying that there were no security threats in the area and the reservists would not be deployed.

(We need to actually activate our reservists nationwide because, in cases of emergency, we need to upgrade or intensify our defense posture in the North.)

“‘Yung pag-train natin ng mga reservist is part ng compliance ng ating Philippine Navy,” Lutao said.

(Training the reservists was part of the compliance by the Philippine Navy.)

Earlier, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said the Philippines is developing its capability in protecting and securing the country's territory and exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

He said the Department of National Defense (DND) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) have already launched the Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept (CADC).

“In plain language, we are developing our capability to protect and secure our entire territory and EEZ in order to ensure that our people and all the generations of Filipinos to come shall freely reap and enjoy the bounties of the natural resources that are rightfully ours within our domain,” he added.

Teodoro also urged AFP commanders and units to utilize all efforts to enforce the CADC.

“I emphasize that this a strategic action and will not need constant directives to carry out. I, thus, urge our commanders and units in the AFP to exert all efforts to operationalize the CADC,” he said. —with Sundy Locus/AOL/VBL, GMA Integrated News