FRIENDSHIP. Navy Captain Ramon Renales, commander of joint CMO task force Balikatan 2014 shakes hand with his American counterpart Col. Curtis Lee, commander of joint civil military operation task force for humanitarian mission in Albay province. RHAYDZ B. BARCIA
LEGAZPI CITY — The United States government through the joint United States Armed Forces has infused $250,000 for the month-long Balikatan humanitarian mission in Albay starting today, April 24, fortheir engineering and medical missions here.
Col. Curtis Lee, commander of the joint civil military operation task force for Balikatan 2014 humanitarian mission, told Bicol Mail that at least 200 US soldiers from the Navy, Marines, Air Force, and the Army are participating in the month-long civic action.
The US forces, along with their Filipino counterpart, will construct and repair classrooms, health centers, and comfort rooms, and conduct medical symposia and training and practical applications.
Sergeant Major Lewis Martin, who is based in Okinawa, Japan and currently head of the engineering team said that their men will conduct engineering civic assistance programs (Encap) in five areas of Albay such as Malobago Elementary School in Daraga, Albay, Doña Mercedes Elementary School in Guinobatan, Albay, repair works at Tamaoyan Elementary School, and construction of health center and comfort rooms in Barangay Malobago, also in Guinobatan town.
He said that the US forces temporarily deployed in Albay for the missions came from Japan, Korea, Hawaii, Guam, and California, USA.
Other construction projects include water catchment system with a pump that can generate 5,000 gallon storage capacity, concreting of additional 15-meter sidewalk connecting the school buildings to the water catchment system and comfort rooms, repair of electrical wirings of existing classrooms, and installation of fluorescent bulbs, outlets, and fans.
The provincial government of Albay led by Gov. Joey Salceda, for its part, has alloted P300,000 as its counterpart fund for Edcap and Medcapvici missions.
The Balikatan Exercise 2014 is a bilateral exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the United States Armed Forces (USAF) that focuses on Humanitarian Civic Assistance Programs and cooperative health engagement that will be primarily conducted in the City of Legazpi and the town of Guinobatan starting today.
Navy Captain Ramon Renales, commander of joint CMO Task Force Balikatan humanitarian mission 2014, said the joint exercise is expected to enhance working relations and foster existing friendship between the people of the Philippines and the US personnel.
Martin disclosed that the civic action here is the sixth to have been conducted in Bicol, specifically in Albay province.
In 2009, the RP-US Balikatan exercises constructed the road network in Pioduran, Albay that led to the opening of Pioduran port that has since expedited travel time from Albay to Masbate connecting to the Visayan and Mindanao regions under the management of the Philippine Ports Authority.
Several other engineering projects were completed in the provinces of Sorsogon and Masbate during the past joint exercises.
http://www.bicolmail.com/2012/?p=15284
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