CEBU, PHILIPPINES, 20 October 2022 – The Philippine Navy held an annual bilateral navy-to-navy exercise or Maritime Training Activity (MTA) between Philippine Navy (PN) and the United States Navy (USN) codenamed EXERCISE SAMA-SAMA, while EXERCISE LUMBAS is a yearly bilateral navy-to-navy exercise between PN and the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The MTA commences from 11 to 18 October 2022. This is the first time PN conducted the bilateral exercises simultaneously and extends the invitation to ASEAN nations and other nations to participate as observers in which Brunei, Malaysia and Canada sent representatives. The exercise was designed to promote regional security cooperation, maintain, and strengthen maritime partnerships and enhance maritime interoperability.
The Opening Ceremony was officiated by Lieutenant General Bartolome Vicente Bacarro, Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of the Philippines. Also present were Philippine Navy acting Flag-Officer-In-Command, Rear Admiral Caesar Bernard Valencia; USN 7th Fleet Commander, Vice Admiral Karl Thomas; RAN Chief-of-Staff Navy Headquarters, Commodore Ray Leggatt; Commander of Fleet Air Force, Vice Admiral Tamotsu Matsumoto; and British Commodore Mike Proudman of HMS Spey.
Representing the Royal Brunei Navy (RBN) as an observer was Lieutenant Commander Haji Abdul Hafiz Mubarak bin Haji Rusli, RBN, Executive Officer of KDB DARUTTAQWA and Lieutenant Mohamad Haziq@Ahmad bin Mohammad Ali, RBN, Principal Warfare Officer of KDB DARUTTAQWA. Other representatives joining the sea phase were Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), Royal Navy (RN), French Navy, Royal Canadian Navy, and Royal Malaysian Navy. This commitment represents RBN’s commitment to supporting its ASEAN partners in maintaining peace and stability in the region.
The exercise was divided into two phases: Shore and Sea Phase. Series of activities comprised of Subject Matter Expert Exchange (SMEE) on Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) and intelligence, Maritime Aviation, Band, Surface Warfare Missile Engagement, Replenishment at Sea (RAS), Medical, Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Visit Board Search and Seizure (VBSS) and Underwater Construction Operation of participating navies. All observers’ participants joined the 5-day Sea Phase onboard BRP JOSE RIZAL (FF150) which comprises of Warfare Serials, Communication Exercises and seamanship evolution focusing on Replenishment-at-Sea (RAS) with HMAS STALWART.
