Philippine Army Public Affairs chief Col. Xerxes Trinidad said on Friday that the Philippines and Indonesia have finalized plans for their bilateral training activity.

According to Trinidad, the 15th iteration of the bilateral training activity will be held at the First Scout Ranger Regiment Headquarters at Camp Pablo Tecson in San Miguel, Bulacan from May 21 to May 30.

He said a total of 40 Filipino and Indonesian soldiers are set to train side by side in jungle warfare operations, urban operations, and sniping operations during the said exercise. The training activity is also geared at bolstering the tactics, techniques, and procedures as well as sustaining the existing partnership of participating units.

In April of last year, Philippine Army Scout Rangers and their Indonesian counterparts trained side by side in counterinsurgency and counterterrorism operations at the Taipur Military Camp in Cilodong and at the Sangga Buana Training Site in Karawang, West Java, Indonesia.

Meanwhile, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Australian Defense Force (ADF) solidified their partnership ahead of the Indo-Pacific Endeavor 2023 (IPE23) scheduled in various countries, including the Philippines, from June to October this year.

AFP Public Affairs Office chief Col. Jorry Baclor said the ADF team for IPE23 is currently in the country to plan for the Philippine leg of the activity which is expected to be held in August.

According to Baclor, the IPE23 will primarily focus on territorial HE Philippines will engage in separate military training with Indonesia and Australia to be held in various parts of the country this year. defense and island maneuver operations.

It will also feature senior leadership engagements, information exchanges, sporting events, seminars, and other capacity-building activities, he said.

IPE23 is Australia’s flagship regional engagement activity with 14 Southeast Asian and Northeast Indian Ocean countries, including the Philippines.

On Friday, AFP Vice Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Arthur Cordura met with the IPE23 Commander Air Commodore Anthony McCormack at the AFP General Headquarters.

In the meeting, Baclor said Cordura conveyed the AFP’s support to IPE23 and its openness for more engagements with the ADF.