Albay hosts a new round of joint humanitarian partnership
program on June 27-July 11, involving some 1,000 troops from the US Pacific
Fleet and Australian Navy, among others, and the world’s largest hospital ship,
the USNS Mercy. The program is aptly dubbed as “Pacific Partnership.”
Started during the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and its
consequent deadly tidal waves or tsunami, Pacific Partnership features an
annual deployment of forces from the US Navy’s Pacific Fleet in cooperation
with regional governments and military forces along with humanitarian and
non-government organizations, aimed at building inter-operability during
disasters, and security ties.
The activity in Albay is under the auspices of the the
Philippine-US Mutual Defense Treaty. The visiting troops will be joined by the
Philippine Naval Forces in South Luzon, and will be received by Albay Gov. Joey
Salceda in brief ceremonies at the Albay Astrodome, in this city on June 27.
Salceda said Pacific Partnership provides an opportunity to
enhance goodwill and cooperation among the region's military forces and
governments, needed during disaster relief operations, and at the same time
deliver humanitarian and engineering assistance to local stakeholders.
He said Pacific Partnership also opens up an opportunity for
Albay to show off its eco-tourism wealth, being a multi-awarded and fastest
growing global tourism destination in the country. Albay, a UNESCO World
Biosphere Reserve is itself a UN global model for Climate Change Adaptation
(CCA) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), and a pioneer of novel strategies in
disaster resiliency with its Green Economy program.
The world’s largest hospital ship, USNS Mercy, serves as the
centerpiece of the humanitarian activity. Equipped with state-of-the-art
medical facilities, its medical personnel with local troops, will treat some
4,000 local patients aboard the ship and in designated areas around the
province.
The Pacific Partnership engineering troops are also
scheduled to build or improve school rooms, water deposits and hand washing
stations, and beach cleanups. The troops and local resource persons will
conduct seminars on DRR, sanitation, environment protection and sports events.
“It is a n honor for Albay to host this activity, and have
the world’s largest and famous hospital ship USNS Mercy to lend humanitarian
attention to Albayanos, and people from neighboring areas,” said Salceda, a UN
senior champion for CCA and DRR.
Albay had consistently hosted past humanitarian activities
with US and other friendly troops, notably the Philippines-United States annual
joint “Balikatan” military exercises in 2014, the Amphibious Landing Exercises
or Phiblex in 2012, the US Pacific Angel in 2010, the RP-US Balikatan in 2009,
and the visit of USS Peleliu in 2007.
USNS Mercy’s last visit to the country was in 2013, in Roxas City
In accordance with the Geneva Convention, USNS Mercy and its
crew do not carry offensive weapons, although defensive weapons are available.
Firing at the Mercy would be considered a war crime.
As part of Pacific Partnership’s 10th anniversary, the US
Pacific Fleet has announced USNS Mercy’s readiness to participate in the
ongoing series of Disaster Preparedness missions, “to Prepare in Calm, to
Respond in Crisis". It has been invited by Timor Leste, Malaysia , Indonesia ,
the Philippines and Vietnam
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=898136
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