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Armed Forces of the Philippines Lt. Gen. Oscar T. Lactao, left, and U.S. Marine Lt. Gen. Lawrence D. Nicholson unfurl the Balikatan 2017 flag during the opening ceremony at Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City, May 8, 2017. Lactao is the Philippine exercise director for Balikatan and Nicholson is the commanding general of III Marine Expeditionary Force. Balikatan is an annual U.S.-Philippine bilateral military exercise focused on a variety of missions including humanitarian and disaster relief, counterterrorism, and other combined military operations.