Children of Surok Elementary School in Barangay Surok, Guiuan town in Eastern Samar wave Philippine and U.S. flags during a turnover of school supplies from American soldiers which is part of the humanitarian civic activity of the Balikatan 2017 in the province.
BALIKATAN 2017
American and Filipino soldiers joined forces to build a large room that can serve as a classroom and shelter during disasters in Guiuan town in Eastern Samar, a region often hit by typhoons.
The activity, which is humanitarian civic assistance component of this year’s ongoing Balikatan Exercise, focusing this year on humanitarian civic assistance and anti-terrorism instead of the usual joint live-fire drills done in previous Balikatan Exercises.
Col. Medel Aguilar, Armed Forces of the Philippines Central Command (AFP Centcom) assistant chief of the Unified Command staff for Civil Military Operations, said both activities are still about saving lives.
Around 80 Filipino and American soldiers from the Philippine Army and Navy and U.S. Marines started building the typhoon-resilient room, the water catchment and the multi-purpose hall in Barangay Surok in Guiuan town last April 10.
Aguilar said the building of the typhoon-resilient room is funded by the U.S. government and this will be turned over on May 16.
“The room can withstand disasters like typhoon about 250 kph. Yung sa atin (in our part) manpower lang, supervision. All materials are provided by our counterpart (U.S. Armed Forces),” said Aguilar.
Aguilar said the rooms are made of class A materials, and instead of using the usual four-inch hollow blocks, they used the six-inch hollow blocks while four iron rods per post are used instead of the usual two iron rods per post of the rooms.
Capt. Gabriel Christianson of the U.S. Marines Civil Affairs said that in September last year, they surveyed the Visayas to find the area to hold their civic assistance activity.
Christianson said they chose Samar since most typhoons always pass this area.
“Because it rains so much here. This multipurpose building is not also for education but also for their shelter and protection during disasters,” Christianson said.
The soldiers also held disaster preparedness trainings and discussions for the community in Barangay Surok.
Aside from Samar, Balikatan Exercise humanitarian civic assistance was also held in different parts in Visayas like Capiz and Ormoc.
Philip Aranas, executive secretary of Guiuan Mayor Christopher Sheen Gonzales, said that they are thankful that they are among the places in the country to have this Balikatan Exercise.
“Importante ni sa amo diri sa Guiuan kay dili namo hangyoon mobalik ang Yolanda, pero kinahanglan prepared ta sa mahitabo nga mga disasters (This is important for us in Guiuan because although we are not hoping for another Yolanda, but it is better to be prepared for any coming disasters),” Aranas said.
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