Pacific Partnership 2014 to kick off in Tacloban City

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 17): Pacific Partnership 2014 to kick off in Tacloban City

The Pacific Partnership 2014 Civic Action Programs will kick off in Tacloban City and Palo, Leyte this coming June 18.

The activities will be spearheaded by the Joint Task Force Pacific Partnership 2014 (JTF PP14) composed of military units from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, US and Japan.

JTF PP14 will simultaneously conduct groundbreaking of four engineering projects in different areas of Tacloban City and Palo.

The projects are: construction of a four-classroom building and a science building at San Fernando Elementary School, reconstruction of the outpatient building at Tacloban City Hospital and the construction of science building at Castilla Elementary School in Palo.

These projects are slated to be completed third to fourth week of July.

The JTF PP14 will also conduct Key Leader’s Engagement and humanitarian assistance disaster rresponse (HADR) trainings.

Subject matter experts in HADR from the government, NGOs and from the participating Armed Forces will also have the chance to share experiences and views that will enhance capabilities of HADR teams during times of calamities in the future.

Other activities slated to be conducted in the month of July will be series of medical, dental and veterinary civic action programs in the different areas of Tacloban City.

PP14 was originally slated in Luzon area, however, due to the damages caused by super typhoon "Yolanda".

The last Pacific Partnership was in 2012 and was held in Eastern Visayas.

8th Infantry Division commander Major Gen. Jet B. Velarmino said, “the joint Civic Action Programs in Palo, Leyte and Tacloban City by the Armed Forces of U.S, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and the Philippines will enhance inter-operability of the three participating Armed Forces in addressing HADR concerns in the future. This activity will surely be appreciated by the recipient communities. More than the goodwill is the humanitarian touch of the activity.”

“This humanitarian gesture of the participating Armed Forces from other nations is heartwarming as it exemplifies the 'Bayanihan Spirit' that carried the country over the challenges posed by super typhoon 'Yolanda'/'Haiyan'. It is one of the better ways in enhancing cooperation and goodwill among the participating nations," he concluded.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=654261