DVIDS: Seabees held a ribbon cutting ceremony at Cebu, Philippines

From DVIDS (Mar 1): Seabees held a ribbon cutting ceremony at Cebu, Philippines

CEBU, Philippines - Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 3, Construction Civic Action Detail (CCAD), Cebu, held a ribbon cutting ceremony Jan. 5, for the completion of a two classroom school building at Biasong High School in Cebu, Philippines. The project was a joint effort with the Joint U.S. Military Advisory Group (JUSMAG) Philippines, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Department of Education Philippines (DepEd).

The day kicked off with the Philippine National Anthem and Star Spangled Banner sung by NMCB 3’s Construction Electrician 3rd Class Shaqile Read followed by traditional Filipino dances and songs performed by the students of Biasong High School. Messages of gratitude were given by students, the school principal, and representatives from the Department of Education as well as local community leaders.

As a humanitarian assistance project in conjunction with the Armed Forces of the Philippines, this project allowed the Seabees to assist a grateful community in need, while building long lasting relations between the two nations to include subject matter expert exchanges, community relations activities, team building and comradery. The new classrooms will provide relief for the overcrowded school of approximately 300 students and increase education opportunities for the local children.

“This was an amazing experience for me and the crew,” said Builder 3rd Class Derrick Fettes, project crew leader. “It was extremely rewarding to come to work every day and see the smiles on the children’s faces. We built a great relationship with the AFP and look forward to working alongside them on our next project.”

During the ceremony members of the Seabees and AFP were recognized with certificates of appreciation for their hard work and dedication. The ceremony concluded with members of the Seabees and distinguished guests cutting the ribbon, officially opening the classrooms for the students and staff to use.

NMCB 3 is homeported in Port Hueneme, Calif., and is currently deployed to Okinawa, Japan. The mission of NMCB 3 is to support Navy and joint forces throughout the U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM) Area of Responsibility (AOR) through construction projects and humanitarian missions in more than 14 different geographical locations.

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