US, RP troops finish school building in Southern Philippines, pledge more humanitarian projects

SULU, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Oct. 3, 2008) – US and Philippine soldiers deployed in the southern island of Sulu have finished a school building, the 50th since 2006, and humanitarian and infrastructure projects have reached almost one billion pesos, a senior Filipino military commander said Friday.

Major general Juancho Sabban, the island’s military commander, said they handed over on Thursday to Sulu Governor Sakur Tan the four-room building worth more than six million pesos in Panamao town.

“The US has poured almost one billion pesos in various humanitarian and infrastructure projects in Sulu and the Armed Forces of the Philippines have been supporting efforts to bring peace to the province through development projects,” he told the Mindanao Examiner.

Sabban said the project was funded by the US military in support to Manila’s peace and development efforts. “This is the 50th school buildings we have handed over to Governor Sakur Tan since 2006 and US and Philippine soldiers are hand-in-hand in helping the communities in Sulu in partnership with the provincial government,” he said.

Major Joseph Mouer, US Army commander, pledged more humanitarian projects in Sulu, where American forces are also training Filipino troops.

Tan, for his part, agreed to maintain the school buildings and other infrastructure projects built by the US and Philippine forces.

He praised US President George Bush for his support to peace and development in Sulu and also Kristie Kenney, the American ambassador to Manila, and the USAID (United States Agency for International Development), an independent government agency that provides economic development and humanitarian assistance to advance US economic and political interests overseas.

“Words are not enough to thank President George Bush and the American people for the continued support of the US in efforts to bring peace and development to Sulu,” Tan said.

He said the US also funded the renovation of the air port in Sulu worth $3 million. (Mindanao Examiner)