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Annual Exercise Balikatan officially wraps up in Philippines

Last week the annual Exercise Balikatan — Tagalog for “shoulder to shoulder” — officially wrapped up in the Philippines.

By Edward Bungubung / Special to the Star-Advertiser

May 15, 2025

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Members of the Kaneohe-based 3rd Marine Regiment pose for a photo at a beach near the northern Philippine town of Aparri on May 3, 2025 where U.S. and Philippine troops were practicing coastal defense operations during Exercise Balikatan.
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Col. John Lehane, commander of the Hawaii-based 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment presents Gunnery Sgt. Russel Bolton with the Honorable Order of Van Orden in the western Philippine province of Zambales during Exercise Balikatan during Exercise Balikatan. April 26, 2025.
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Maj. Hernan Tubangi is a reservist in the Philippine Marine Corps speaks to a Star-Adveriser reporter after a live fire exercise on a beach outside the northern Philippine town of Aparri on May 3, 2025.
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A Philippine Marine looks out at the Luzon Strait after a live fire exercise on a beach outside the northern Philippine town of Aparri on May 3, 2025.
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Members of the Kaneohe-based 3rd Marine Regiment pose for a photo at a beach near the northern Philippine town of Aparri on May 3, 2025 where U.S. and Philippine troops were practicing coastal defense operations during Exercise Balikatan.
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Capt. Chetuard Ligario, a Philippine Marine artillery officer, talks to a Star-Advertiser reporter at a beach near the northern Philippine town of Aparri on May 2, 2025 where he was practicing coastal defense operations with American troops during Exercise Balikatan.
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Members of the Kaneohe-based 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment get lunch at a road side stand that has been set up across the road from a beach outside northern Philippine town of Aparri on May 2, 2025 where U.S. and Philippine forces practiced coastal defense operations during Exercise Balikatan.
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Philippine troops board trucks after stopping for lunch at a road side stand that had been set up across the road from a beach outside northern Philippine town of Aparri on May 2, 2025 where U.S. and Philippine forces practiced coastal defense operations during Exercise Balikatan.
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A group of elite Philippine Navy SEALs pose for a photo at a beach at Aparri where U.S. and Philippine forces conducted a live fire coastal defense exercise earlier this month (May 2025) as part of the annual Exercise Balikatan. The SEAL on the right wears a patch from the Hawaii-based 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment.
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A pair of Navy corpsmen assigned to the Kaneohe-based 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment get lunch at a road side stand that has been set up across the road from a beach outside northern Philippine town of Aparri on May 2, 2025 where U.S. and Philippine forces practiced coastal defense operations during Exercise Balikatan.
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Members of the Kaneohe-based 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment look out at the Luzon Strait facing Taiwan from a berm at a beach near the northern Philippine town of Aparri on May 2, 2025 as they practice coastal defense operations during Exercise Balikatan.
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Members of the Kaneohe-based 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment look out at the Luzon Strait facing Taiwan from a berm at a beach near the northern Philippine town of Aparri on May 2, 2025 as they practice coastal defense operations during Exercise Balikatan.
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Cpl. Justin Caluya sits under camoflague netting on a hot day at a beach near the town of Aparri during exercise Balikatan on May 2, 2025. Caluya, a member of the Kaneohe-based 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment, was born in the Philippine province of Ilocos Norte.
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Cpl. Justin Caluya, right, sits with members of the Philippine Air Force by a tent on a beach near the town of Aparri during exercise Balikatan on May 2, 2025 where U.S. and Philippine troops were training. Caluya, a member of the Kaneohe-based 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment, was born in the Philippine province of Ilocos Norte.

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