US-PH Society supports return of Balangiga bells

From the Philippine News Agency (Feb 20): US-PH Society supports return of Balangiga bells

The United States-Philippines Society (USPS) said it supports the return of Balangiga bells to the Philippines.

In a press conference Tuesday, USPS president John Maisto said that part of the group’s resolution on Monday’s Board Meeting is to support the return of Balangiga bells to the country.

“The Society has passed a resolution yesterday (Monday) that we are in support of the return of Balangiga bells to their rightful owners, which is the parish of Balangiga [in] Samar,” said Maisto.

“We are working on that, and we hope to see a very strong working group of the Society,” he added.

In his visit to Cebu City last week, President Rodrigo Duterte insisted that the US should return the church bells to the country.

Meanwhile, the President will be meeting the USPS executives Tuesday, where the organization will highlight the strong relationship between the Philippines and the US.

The society is a private sector initiative organized to broaden and expand interaction and understanding through basic research and/or applied research in the areas of security, trade, investments, tourism, the environment, history, education and culture between the United States and the Philippines which would benefit the American public and the people of the Philippines.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1025829