PH, US, 4 other countries to conduct joint Exercise SAMASAMA in N. Luzon

The navies of the Philippines and five other countries will participate in Exercise SAMASAMA in Northern Luzon.

According to Chino Gaston’s report in 24 Oras on Monday, warships of the United States, Australia, Japan, Canada and the Philippines are now docked at Subic Bay in Zambales in preparation for the joint military exercise.

Meanwhile, the United Kingdom will send observers in the exercise that seeks to boost the interoperability of the participating navies.

The drill will also include delivery of supplies to ships during military operations or during calamities. The exercises will conclude in a joint sail in waters off Northern Luzon.

An official of the Armed Forces of the Philippines - Northern Luzon pointed out that the exercises are not targeted against any countries. It added that the joint sail will not the enter the vicinity of the disputed Scarborough Shoal. 

“This is actually a six-nation exercise.. To develop skills, to develop the different logistics system, so that we could help each other…Everybody’s maritime interests are protected,” said Commodore Edward de Sagun, Naval Forces North commander.

“We might not be going out of the territorial seas, but we will conduct it mostly in the northern part of Luzon," he added.

China earlier slammed Philippines’ invitation to the navies of its allies, saying that this will further provoke tensions in the West Philippine Sea.

Further, the military drill could benefit the country’s resupply missions to the grounded BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal.

“So we will execute that as much as possible. So some of the assets that we had hoped to send there, we couldn’t, but we could still have the training,” said Admiral Todd Cimicata, US Task Force 73 commander.
—Vince Ferreras/RF, GMA Integrated News