FORT BONIFACIO, Metro Manila – The Philippine Army (PA) and the United States Army Pacific (USARPAC) opened the 44th Indo-Pacific Armies Management Seminar (IPAMS) and the 6th Senior Enlisted Leaders Forum (SELF) via video conference here today, Nov. 17, 2020.
The two-day event calls for the participating Indo-Pacific Armies to discuss their best practices and strategies in addressing challenges in urban environments while fostering ties amid the pandemic.
National Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, serving as the keynote speaker remarked, “Given the challenges we are all facing, urban security presents to us a different challenge than when we tackle regional and national security as a whole. It reveals non-traditional security challenges that really calls for new perspectives and international cooperation.”
Commanding General USARPAC Gen. Paul LaCamera, who also extended his gratitude for the cooperation of all participating countries, looks forward to the continuous building of trust around the region as the armies share their unique perspective and experiences in addressing urban environment threats.
Leading the first day of the forum were the Department of Social Welfare and Development Under Secretary Danilo Pamonag, the then Special Operations Command who discussed PA’s urban warfare experience during the 2017 Marawi Siege; Maj. Gen. Masayoshi Arai of the Japan Ground Self Defense Force; and Brig. Gen. Gi Hoon Lim from the Republic of Korea Army who expanded the topic on understanding urban environments in the 21st century by citing their respective approaches against threats in the urban landscape. Further dialogues about adapting armies to succeed in the urban environment were initiated by Col. Cai Dexian of the Singapore Armed Forces, Maj. Gen. Abdulla Shamaal from the Maldives Chief of Defense, and Dr. Rosalie Hall from University of the Philippines Visayas.
“Multilateral engagements among the Indo-Pacific armies foster stronger relations and stability. This collaboration also helps the Indo-Pacific region confront multi-dimensional issues at greater strength,” said Commanding General Philippine Army Lt. Gen. Cirilito E. Sobejana. “Indeed, we must address multi-lateral issues with multilateral solutions,” he added.#