Soldiers, children in Pagasa Island receive ‘care packages’

From Ang Malaya (Oct 5): Soldiers, children in Pagasa Island receive ‘care packages’

The University of the Philippines Cadet Alumni Organization (UPCAO) of UP Diliman turned over “care packages” for Pagasa Island’s school children and soldiers stationed in Kalayaan Group of Islands Monday. This is to show their utmost support to this country’s claims in the West Philippine Sea and the efforts of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in fulfilling its mandated duty of guarding Philippine territory, AFP public affairs office chief Col. Noel Detoyato said.

The “care packages” were handed over by UPCAO members to AFP Chief-of-Staff General Hernando DCA Iriberri during the flag-raising ceremony at the AFP General Headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City. There were two types of packages for soldiers and children in Pagasa which were created from donations.

The packages for troops (Type A) contain the following: packs of powdered drinks; packaged foods like canned goods, biscuits and candies; healthy foods like dried fruits, nuts and energy bars; spices; toiletries; recreational goods like board games, cards and activity books for entertainment; utility items like multitools, fishing lines, fishing hooks, matches and lighters; phone cards to enable them to call home; and letters of encouragement.

While the “care packages” for Pagasa’s school kids (Type B) contain the following: pens, pencils, crayons, markers in different colors, eraser and pencil sharpeners; pad paper, notebooks, bond paper, art paper, construction paper; child-safe scissors, tape, glue and rulers; chalk and board eraser; watercolor and poster paints, including brushes; manila paper and/or cartolina; powdered milk, chocolate, or cereal; mosquito repellant; books, comic books, dictionaries, child-friendly reference books, maps; puzzles and activity books; and flash cards.

“The soldiers who are deployed in our far off stations in the Kalayaan Island Group are truly commendable. Their dedication and firm resolve to watch over our islands at the outskirts of our territory means that they will be facing dangers that are born out of the ambitions of foreign entities. And it is here that their flame of desire to defend our country is fanned, all while the rest of us are asleep,” Iriberri said.

He also thanked the members of UPCAO on behalf of soldiers who will receive the packages. “I am sure this means a lot to them, not just the material provisions, but more especially knowing that in each one of these boxes is the sincere show of support of its donors,” the AFP chief added.

http://www.angmalaya.net/nation/2015/10/05/13831-soldiers-children-in-pagasa-island-receive-care-packages