Governor Amy R. Alvarez of Palawan welcomed a delegation from the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Western Command (WESCOM) and the Australian Defence Force (ADF) to her office at the Capitol on August 14.
The meeting aimed to discuss the upcoming Exercise Alon, a joint maritime training scheduled from August 15 to 29 across several municipalities in Palawan.
The WESCOM team was led by Lieutenant Commander Ronne Riel B. Grimpola, Group Commander of the 6th Civil Relations Group, along with Lieutenant Colonel Rommer I. De Guilio, Deputy Commander Almarx Velasquez Palmero, Major Rodrigo C. Sinoy Jr., and Airman First Class John Victor Dela Cruz.
They were joined by the ADF contingent, which included Colonel Finger, WO1 Batty, Command Chaplain Captain Monghan, Civil Military Coordination Officer Captain Reghitte, WO2 Kavanagh, Seaman Sanchez, Lieutenant Tinker, and Major Fernandez.
The primary objective of the visit was to brief Governor Alvarez on the details of Exercise Alon, which focuses on enhancing the maritime capabilities and readiness of both the AFP and ADF. Governor Alvarez expressed strong support for the exercise, emphasizing its role in strengthening the Philippines’ strategic partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region.
Exercise Alon is part of ongoing efforts to bolster regional security and cooperation through joint military training and collaboration.
The exercise is expected to involve various municipalities in Palawan, providing opportunities for local communities to engage with and support the participating forces.
