PRESS RELEASE - 43 - 2019

L-R: Col. Joseph P. Archog, Consul Roberto T. Bernardo, Deputy Consul General Angelica C. Escalona, Consul General Joselito A. Jimeno, Lt. Gen. Gilbert Gapay, Col. Erwin Rommel Lamzon, and Maj. Ernan Capulong, Philippine Army

(14 June 2019, Honolulu, Hawaii) - From 9-14 June 2019, 31 members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines met with their U.S. counterparts in Hawaii for the Balikatan 2020 Concept Development Conference (CDC). Lt. Gen. Gilbert Gapay AFP, Commander, Southern Luzon Command, and Exercise Director for Balikatan led the delegation.

On 12 June 2019, LTG Gapay, with Col. Erwin Rommel Lamzon Philippine Army Executive Officer, and Maj. Ernan Capulong, Philippine Army, paid a courtesy visit to Consul General Joselito A. Jimeno.

LTG Gapay said that the focus of Balikatan 2020 will be on combatting transnational crime, with particular emphasis on interoperability with U.S. troops. LTG Gapay said that this is the 36th iteration of Balikatan, an annual US-Philippine military exercise designed for mutual defense.

The Balikatan 2020 will be expanded in duration and complexity, taking into consideration what LTG Gapay described as “VUCA” or Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous environment. END

L-R: AFP Liaison Officer to US Indo-Pacific Command Col. Joseph P. Archog, Consul Roberto T. Bernardo, Deputy Consul General Angelica C. Escalona, Consul General Joselito A. Jimeno, Lt. Gen. Gilbert Gapay AFP, Balikatan Exercise Director, and Col. Erwin Rommel Lamzon, Philippine Army Executive Officer

Lt. Gen. Gapay presents Consul General Jimeno with a token from Balikatan. Earlier, Consul General Jimeno presented Lt. Gen. Gapay with a “challenge coin” or token traditionally exchanged with military visitors