Monday, August 19, 2013

WESCOM soldiers to join U.S. troops in Pacific Unity 2013

From the Philippine News Agency (Aug 19): WESCOM soldiers to join U.S. troops in Pacific Unity 2013

Members of the Palawan-based Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will band together with men and women of the United States Pacific Air Force (PACAF) in a mutual Humanitarian Civil Assistance (HCA) and Civil Military Operations (CMO) activities from August 26 to September 20, 2013 in the 'City in a Forest'.

The activity aims to enhance the response capability of both armed forces during times of disasters and calamities.

“The Pacific Unity 2013 comes very timely as we continue to undertake significant efforts to strengthen our humanitarian, disaster response, and civic action programs in times of distraught," said Army Lt. Col. Emmanuel A. Canilla, chief of the civil military operations of the Western Command.

Canilla also said the upcoming event will be another opportunity to enhance the AFP’s capabilities in ensuring a safe and secure environment for our people.

The joint undertaking is in line with the Pacific Unity 2013, a U.S. Pacific Command-funded humanitarian assistance mission. It is also a bilateral and joint engineering civic action program in cooperation with the city government, the Department of Education Puerto Princesa City District, and the Palawan-based Philippine Air Force 570th Composite Tactical Wing.

The AFP through the Western Command (Wescom) will provide personnel and mission-essential equipment in the conduct of the HCA/CMO.

The PU 2013 intends to conduct Engineering Civic Action Program (ENCAP). It will formally start with a groundbreaking/opening ceremony at the Virgilio Magbanua Memorial Elementary School in San Pedro village, wherein a two-room school building will be constructed. Dilapidated classrooms will also be repaired and rehabilitated.

Last year, over 20,000 residents of Samar benefited in the Pacific Partnership 2012, the largest annual humanitarian and civic assistance mission in the Pacific sponsored by the US Pacific Fleet. The Pacific Unity 12-6 conducted in August 2012 in northern Luzon benefited at least 50,000 residents of the area.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=556530

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.