More than 1,000 US, Philippine troops in Kamandag 2018

September 22, 2018

More than 1,000 American and Filipino troops are set to participate in a joint military exercise dubbed as (Kaagapay ng mga Mandigma ng Dagat) Kamandag 2018 held next month.

In a phone interview with the Daily Manila Shimbun, Capt. Jerber Anthony Belonio, public affairs office director of the Philippine Marines, said more or less 700 Filipino troops and around 900 United States Marine forces are set to participate in the exercise that will run from October 1 to 10, 2018.

Belonio said the Filipino troops were composed of Philippine Marines, Navy, Air Force and Army.

“We are about 700, mostly Marines but we also have Navy personnel, sailors, as well as Air Force and Army, but the bulk of them, mostly are Marines,” he said.

Belonio said there is a delegation from the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) that will participate in some exercises, but he did not give further details.

Belonio said some US troops arrived in the country and joined the construction of school in Tarnate, Cavite as part of the civic action activities of Kamandag 2018 that started last September 10.

He said the opening ceremony of Kamandag 2018 will be held at Subic Bay International Airport, Subic Bay Freeport Zone in Olongapo City on October 1.

Belonio said the exercises will be conducted at the Marine Barracks Rudiardo Brown in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City, at the Marine Base in Gregorio Lim, Tarnate, Cavite, in Crow Valley, Tarlac and at the Naval Education and Training Command in San Antonio, Zambales. Robina Asido/DMS