Navy to hold fleet training exercises

CEBU – To test and evaluate their effectiveness, the Philippine Navy will hold a five-day training exercise in Cebu from December 2 to 6.

The exercise, which is dubbed as “Exercise Pagsisikap 2008,” will also be participated by the Naval Forces Central, the Philippine Fleet and the Philippine Corps. whose operational readiness would be tested on the fleet- marine concept of the Philippine Navy.

The event will focus on interoperability evaluation between fleet and marine units operating in a littoral environment against internal security threats and external defense operations.

The objective of the activity is to synergize the operational requirements and train the capabilities of the various Philippine Navy support units to perform special operation missions.

Pre-exercise preparations will also be included and will be participated by the three floating assets—the BRP Dagupan City (LC551), BRP Bienvenido Salting (PG112) and BRP Abraham Campo (PG396)—together with their two air assets, Philippine Navy Islander (PNI 320) and a UH1H Huey helicopter from 2nd Composite Tactical Wing of the Philippine Air Force. 

Likewise, the Naval Special Operation Unit 5 and Special Operations Platoon from the Marine Battalion Landing Team will also participate in the exercise that would be led by Exercise Director Capt. Honorio Robert Balanon Jr., the commander of the NAVFORCEN.

The opening ceremony would be held at 9 a.m. on December 2 at the NAVFORCEN conference room with honored guest Maj. Gen. Ben Dolorfino, the commandant of Philippine Marine Corps.

On December 5, at 8:30 a.m., there would be an Amphibious Raid Exercise at sitio Looc, Poblacion, Argao.

Rear Admiral Geronimo R. Defensor of the AFP is expected to grace the closing ceremony on December 6 at the NAVFORCEN conference room at 4 p.m. — Christopher Gabriel Bonjoc/WAB (THE FREEMAN)