19 June 2015 – The Philippine Consulate General in Honolulu welcomed a delegation from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) led by Brigadier General Rodolfo Santiago, AFP Commandant, AFP Command & General Staff College and his party who  paid a courtesy call at the Consulate on June 16. The AFP delegation is attending the Balikatan 2016 (BK16) Concept Development Workshop (CDW) with their US counterparts from June 16-19, 2015 at the Ford island Conference Center, Pearl Harbor, Honolulu upon the invitation of the US Pacific Command (USPACOM). The  BK16 CDW will develop the concepts for the joint and combined training activities for both the PH and US forces in accordance with the Balikatan Five-Year Workplan. Brig. Gen Santiago was accompanied by BGen Rolando Picar AFP, Chief, AFP Resource Management Office; Colonel Doroteo Jose Jalandoni PN(M) (GSC), Chief, Joint & Combined Training Center; Major Noel Caibigan PA, J5 rep;  LTC Nobel Eumar Abarra PAF (GSC), J8 rep; LTC Ferdinand Llantero USMC, MARFORPAC rep ; Capt. Dela Cruz, AFP LO to USPACOM; and  Mr Jerry Mateo, retired US Army.

A total of 26 AFP Officers is attending the CDW Workshop. The BK 2016 planners will address the Field Training Exercise, Staff Exercise, and Humanitarian and Civic Assistance Lines of Operation of BK 2016.  Representatives from the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and Japan Self Defense Force (JSDF) are also participating in the workshop. END