Philippines, US troops begin naval exercises

Naval exercises involving around 4,700 Filipino and US troops started Monday in the Philippines' Palawan province.

The 12-day training exercise, dubbed as the Philippine Amphibious Landing Exercise (PHIBLEX), was formally inaugurated at the headquarters of the Naval Forces West at Naval Station Apolinario Jalandoon in Puerto Princesa city, Xinhua reported.

In an earlier statement, the US embassy said the command post exercise "will increase the Armed Forces of the Philippines' capability to conduct planning and effective execution of bilateral maritime security and territorial defense operations".

"The field training exercises will provide the Philippine and U.S. Marine units multiple opportunities to continue to improve their skills while sharing best practices and enhancing an already high level of cohesion," it added.

The Philippine Navy said other activities under PHIBLEX will be held in the northern provinces of Zambales, Pampanga and Cavite.

The Americans brought two ships for the exercise - the USS Peleliu, an amphibious assault ship, and USS Germantown, an amphibious dock landing ship.

The ships arrived in Subic last Saturday.

PHIBLEX is one of the high-profile military exercises conducted by the US and Philippines under the Mutual Defence Treaty and Visiting Forces Agreement.