US, PH troops perform loading, offloading exercises in Aurora

Participants from the Philippine-United States Balikatan Exercises 2023 performed the loading and offloading of cargoes during the annual military exercises that kicked off Tuesday.

An estimated 400 American troops and 200 of their Filipino counterparts participated in the activity called Combined Joint Logistics Over the Shore (CJLOTS), held on the shores of Casiguran, Aurora.

Photo courtesy of Naval Forces Northern Luzon PAO

The exercise "aims to demonstrate the US and PH ability to transfer mission essential (liquid and solid) cargoes from sea to the shore in when fixed port facilities are unavailable, damaged or denied due to enemy activities or calamities," according to the Naval Forces Northern Luzon.

This year marks the 38th and the biggest iteration of US-PH Balikatan Exercises where US troops work "shoulder-to-shoulder" with the members of the Philippine military to bolster security relationship through enhanced training in counterterrorism operations and through promoting bilateral interoperability. —KBK, GMA Integrated News