Inside Exercise Balikatan 16 - why it matters so much

As part of their role in the ongoing Exercise Balikatan 16,the US Marines have taken their High Mobility Artillery Rocket System,HIMARS,to Palawan,the Philippines' westernmost island in the hotly disputed South China Sea.The presence of HIMARS and dozens of aircraft in BK 16 indicates the drills are about territorial defence and retaking territory,analysts say,conditioned by international disapproval of Chinese militarisation of islands in the South China Sea,almost all of which it claims to be its territorial waters.
The Philippines also have an airstrip on Thitu Island (population 350) and small troop contingents on smaller outcrops such as Thomas Shoal,where they post their Marines on an old World War II vessel.The Philippines Navy has surplus US Navy ships.*
Under the new Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement between the US and the Philippines,US troops will rotate through five camps,including two air bases near the South China Sea.The US Embassy Manila said that,during BK 16,the two allies will work together to enhance maritime law enforcement throughout the Philippines to meet training requirements and enhance techniques,tactics and procedures as a critical part of interoperability of our forces.They will also conduct combined simulation supported events in three main commands of the Armed Forces of the Philippines:Western,Northern Luzon and Southern Luzon,and other major military camps:Crow Valley;Fort Magsaysay;Clark Air Field;Subic Bay;Palawan and Panay to improve their ability to work together and plan follow-on operations.One of the main operations will be the implementation of a rapid reaction force as part of distributed operations in the vicinity of Panay.About 11,000 US,Philippine and Australian troops are participating in BK 16,which runs from 4-16 April.BK 16 is the 32nd annual Exercise Balikatan,which means "Shoulder-to-Shoulder."
The US has reportedly sent five ships to BK 16,including a destroyer,amphibious transport dock and expeditionary fast transport ship;while the Philippines sent two ships.*
BK 16 is a sharing of best practices,not just the US teaching Filipinos,said AFP Major General Rodolfo Santiago,Assistant Exercise Director.Besides a staff exercise component,BK 16 has a field exercise component with live fire that includes an amphibious landing and a humanitarian civil action programme on Panay Island.The Australian Defence Force team,besides supporting the amphibious landing and providing a maritime surveillance aircraft,will assist in the refurbishment of a school and provide special dental mentoring to AFP dental personnel.It is Australia's third year in this annual exercise hosted by AFP and US Pacific Command.