Armed Forces of the Philippines Lt. Gen. Carlito G. Galvez Jr., chief of staff, Armed Forces of the Philippines, delivers his remarks during the Exercise Balikatan opening ceremony held at Tejeros Hall, Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo, Quezon City, Manila, Philippines, May 7, 2018. The ceremony represented the official commencement of Exercise Balikatan and the continued partnership between the United States and the Republic of the Philippines. Exercise Balikatan, in its 34th iteration, is an annual U.S.-Philippine military training focused on a variety of missions, including humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, counterterrorism, and other combined military operations held from May 7 to May 18. - Armed Forces of the Philippines Lt. Gen. Carlito G. Galvez Jr., chief of staff, Armed Forces of the Philippines, delivers his remarks during the Exercise Balikatan opening ceremony held at Tejeros Hall, Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo, Quezon City, Manila, Philippines, May 7, 2018. The ceremony represented the official commencement of Exercise Balikatan and the continued partnership between the United States and the Republic of the Philippines. Exercise Balikatan, in its 34th iteration, is an annual U.S.-Philippine military training focused on a variety of missions, including humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, counterterrorism, and other combined military operations held from May 7 to May 18.