War games will be dropped from this year's Balikatan military exercises between the US and the Philippines scheduled next month in the Philippine cities of Ormoc and Guiuan, according to the Philippine Presidential Commission on the Visiting Forces Agreement (PCVFA).

Instead of war games, an “exchange of skills and technology” will be emphasized in this year's Balikatan, according to local media.

The Balikatan excise this year will include joint activities like construction of school classrooms and health centers, as well as community relations activities like book donations and veterinary services, said Ormoc City Mayor Richard Gomez.

Balikatan, which literally means “shoulder to shoulder” in the Philippine language, is the name of the annual joint military exercises between the Philippines and the US. The April 2016 10-day exercise is the 32nd iteration of the Balikatan exercises.