Balikatan Exercise 2014 turns over school building, classrooms and health center to 2 Albay villages

From the Philippine News Agency (May 15): Balikatan Exercise 2014 turns over school building, classrooms and health center to 2 Albay villages

Officials of the PHL-US Balikatan Exercise 2014 that held a humanitarian mission in two villages in Quinobatan, Albay, on Thursday turned over newly finished school building and health center and repaired classrooms to officials of two villages and schools in Guinobatan, Albay.

Recipients were the elementary schools in Barangay Doña Mercedes and Barangay Malobago in Guinobatan town.

Emotions filled the air as the turnover or dedication ceremony marked the end of the one-month cooperative work between Filipino and American soldiers as well as the villagers.

The turnover was first done in Barangay Doña Mercedez where top officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the US Armed Forces led by Maj. Gen. Emeraldo Magnaye, Balikatan Exercise 2014 director, and Maj. Gen. Richard Simcock II, deputy commander of the US Marine Corps Forces in the Pacific, gave their respective messages.

Guinobatan Mayor Anne Ongjoco thanked the Balikatan group for the new school building and renovated classrooms.

Doña Mercedes Barangay Captain Cenon Rivera and Marian Navera, school head, gladly accepted the keys to the classrooms which, they said, is very timely for the coming school opening.

The village school has 236 students from Grade 1 to Grade 6, who entertained the Filipino and American soldiers with their various talents.

In Barangay Malobago, new classrooms, new health center and newly renovated and painted classrooms were also turned over by Balikatan officials led by Maj. Jason Johnson of the US Air Force and Maj. Gen. Yerson Depayso, commander of the 9TH Infantry Division of the Philippine Army, to Barangay Captain Federico Miranda, Jr. and Marilyn Coquia, school head of the Malobago Elementary School.

Coquia was emotional in her message owing to the fact, she said, that both the Filipino and American soldiers became close to them, especially the students during the one-month mission of the Balikatan group.

The 280 students of the Malobago Elementary School and the villagers were profuse in their expression of thanks to the Balikatan members for the benefits they have just received.

Before the program ended, the soldiers of both nations and the residents hugged each other as, Coquia said, "we have worked together as one family for one month to accomplish these projects. Thanks to the Balikatan."

After the program, the Balikatan members and the entire village celebrated the village feast which coincided with the turnover.

The Balikatan Exercise is an annual joint undertaking of Philippine and US soldiers and is now on its 30th year.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=644134