CAMP AQUINO, Tarlac City — Commander of the Northern Luzon Command (NOLCOM) Lt. Gen. Fernyl G. Buca, PAF, graced the culmination of the 5-day Mobilization Exercise (MOBEX) CY 2023 as the Guest of Honor and Speaker held at the Naval Station Ernesto Ogbinar in San Fernando, La Union marking the successful conclusion of the simulation of the mobilization stage of the PN Mobilization Plan 2021.
Under the supervision of the Naval Forces Northern Luzon (NFNL), MOBEX CY2023 which commenced from June 28 to July 02 has been a comprehensive exercise aimed at preparing and equipping Philippine Navy Reservists for deployment. The activities conducted during the exercise encompassed critical phases such as the call-up phase, orientation, processing, and equipping of reservists, followed by their integration into the NFNL Operational Control/Tactical Control units for subsequent deployment.
The at-sea events, held in the waters of Sual, Pangasinan, featured the integration of reservists from the 121st, 122nd, and 113th Naval Squadron Reserve into LC288, PC380, and PC388.
These exercises provided reservists with invaluable opportunities to engage in undocking/docking maneuvers, special sea detail operations, GUNNEX exercises, VBSS/MSAR drills, ship evolutions, and battle messing/repel boarder and anti-sneak attack simulations.
The ground events took place in Santa Ana, Cagayan, and Ilocos Norte, with the active participation of the 4th Marine Brigade through Marine Battalion Landing Team (MBLT) 8 and MBLT 10 units.
Reservists from the 111th and 112th Naval Squadron Reserve, 11th Naval Group Reserve, and the 111th, 112th, 113th, 114th, and 115th Marine Company Reserve underwent intensive training in Pekiti Tersia Kali and Marksmanship, honing their combat fighting and firing skills. Additionally, they engaged in rigorous Camp Defense/Coastal Defense exercises alongside Battle Messing operations, further enhancing their capabilities.
The highlight of the exercise was the Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) event, skillfully spearheaded by the Naval Task Force 11 Sagip. Reservists from the 12th Naval Group Reserve, 121st and 122nd Naval Squadron Reserve, as well as the NSEO Medical Team and NAVSOU2 Team, showcased their expertise.
The event encompassed simulated combat firing to test marksmanship skills and featured a capability demonstration (CAPDEMO) for Collapse Structure Search and Rescue (CSSR), including search and location procedures, breaking and breaching techniques, shoring and lifting operations, and pre-hospital treatment demonstrations.
In his speech, Gen. Buca expressed his appreciation for the dedication and commitment of the participating reservists. He commended their willingness to step up and contribute to the defense and security of the nation.
“Today, we witnessed the culmination of rigorous training of our naval reservists. The mobilization exercise has successfully showcased the dedication and readiness of our reservists. They have demonstrated their unwavering commitment to the protection of our country and its people. I commend their resilience, professionalism, and unwavering spirit. The Navy’s mobilization plan is a testament to our commitment to ensuring the readiness of our forces, and our reservists play a crucial role in achieving that readiness,” the NOLCOM chief said.
Following the simulated mobilization stage, the post-mobilization phase commenced alongside the culmination of NFNL MOBEX 2023 at NSEO Grandstand, San Fernando City, La Union. Gen. Buca, presided over the clearing operations, critique/evaluation processes, troop and equipment accounting, and detachment/deactivation of the Reserve Units involved in the post-mobilization phase.
The successful completion of MOBEX CY2023 signifies the Navy’s unwavering commitment to maintaining a well-prepared and capable force.
The dedication and professionalism exhibited by the reservists throughout the exercise highlighted their invaluable contribution and desire to assist in any national and local efforts in addressing emergencies and disasters, as well as to the nation’s defense, security and development. (UnliNews Online)
