The United States and Philippine Armed Forces will conduct the annual joint military exercises Talon Vision and Amphibious Landing Exercise (PHIBLEX) beginning on Monday aimed to help improve interoperability and increase readiness and strengthen the professional relationships between the two countries.
The US military and the Armed Forces of the Philippines will also begin community outreach activities.
Approximately 6,500 US and Philippine military personnel will participate in the PHIBLEX FY 2008 exercises which will run from Oct. 15 to 31.
The US and Philippine military will carry out a number of community outreach projects. They will be repairing local school buildings, painting classrooms and cleaning up the surrounding areas of schools in Olongapo-Subic Bay area.
They will provide free medical and dental clinics at selected locations in Capas, Tarlac (Crow Valley); Palayan City, Nueva Ecija; Ternate, Cavite; and Laguna.
US Marines from the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Unit, III Marine Expeditionary Force from Okinawa, Japan, and US Sailors from the Essex Expeditionary Strike Group, Task Force 76 from Sasebo, Japan, will participate in both ground-air and naval integration training with the AFP.