PH, Japan hold 5-day joint disaster response exercises

THE PHILIPPINES  and Japan's military forces have started a five-day joint field training exercises on disaster response.  

The training is aimed at enhancing the Philippine Army and Japan Ground Self Defense Force (JGSDF) capabilities on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) response such as collapse structure and water search and rescue, said Army spokesperson Col. Xerxes Trinidad in a statement Tuesday.

"The HADR coordination project is in line with the two countries’ bilateral initiative that started in 2019.

Last month, the Japanese government donated PHP46 million worth of HADR equipment "to bolster the military’s disaster response capabilities," Trinidad said.

A team from the Army's 525th Engineer Combat Battalion toured Japanese Defense Attaché Col. Yu Nakano and the JGSDF delegation at the Mandirigtas Training Area in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.

"The activity was followed by a meet and greet where the participants from both armies met (to get to) know each other before the opening of the Phil-Japan HADR exercise today, November 16," Trinidad said. (Priam Nepomuceno)