2nd batch of S. Korea's Araw Force contingent to arrive this June

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 1): 2nd batch of S. Korea's Araw Force contingent to arrive this June

More than 300 personnel of the South Korean military contingent will arrive before the end of June to replace the first batch of their military humanitarian contingents, according to Colonel ChulWon Lee, commander of the Araw Forces Joint Support Group.

“Only 13 percent of the first batch will remain and most of these are the officials,” said Col Lee in a press gathering which they called for local media of Tacloban.

The second batch will arrive before the first batch leave end of June. They will be divided into five groups; three will focus on rebuilding and rehabilitating public elementary schools while two groups will focus in rebuilding and rehabilitating houses of Filipino War Veterans who were sent in Korea during Korean War and other local government offices.

An additional force which is a construction team, a new engineering group, composed of 25 officers will be added, whose responsibility is solely for the reconstruction efforts.

“I hope that they will be received by the locals with the same response they did to the first batch,” said Col Lee.

In almost six months of their stay in Leyte province where their humanitarian works concentration is in the towns of Tanauan, Tolosa and Palo, Col Lee said that they were now able to rehabilitate and rebuild 15 public elementary schools that were destroyed by typhoon Yolanda.

They also conducted medical missions and social activities in barangays where their troops are deployed for rehabilitation works.

Although the military contingent is hoping to expand their area of operation to Dulag Leyte, their efforts will continue to focus in Palo, Tanuan, Tolosa.

Lee thanked the national government of the Philippines, including the local government units, the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the local residents for the great support and acceptance that made their mission successful.

Aside from public elementary schools, local government structures like police stations, fire stations, rural health offices and senior citizens offices were rehabilitated by their troops.

The Araw contingent also opened a technical-vocational school that offers heavy equipment training for residents of Tanauan, Tolosa, Palo and Tacloban.

A Korean Language class for elementary, secondary and adults was also offered by the Araw Forces, which will last until the end of the year.

The Araw Forces in Leyte is one of the six military humanitarian contingents of South Korea in countries currently facing problems on disasters and conflicts like Lebanon.

The Korean Araw Forces based in Candahug, Palo, leyte is set to carry their initial plan for rehabilitation and restoration and Lee has high expectation especially that a new funding will be released to carry out their mission in time for the coming of the new batch of military officers.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=649158