U.S. Humanitarian Efforts Praised In Southern Philippines

Philippine and U.S. sailor unload boxes of humanitarian supplies. (Photo contributed by Mark Alvarez.)

ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / 04 Jun) – Filipino villagers praised U.S. soldiers involved in the humanitarian mission in the southern region of Mindanao, where Philippine and American forces are holding a joint naval warfare training.

Some 2,000 troops are currently participating in the ten-day “Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training,” known as CARAT 2007 which started last week.

CARAT 2007 is a combined naval tactical operations exercise involving fleet forces of both the Philippine and United States Navies. The exercise also focuses on relationship building through social and community service events such as providing free medical, dental, and veterinary care in host communities.

U.S. and Philippine sailors visited the Boalan Elementary School in Zamboanga City and donated sports equipment, books, food, and hygiene materials. They also provided free medical and dental care to villagers in Basilan island.

"We are really lucky about all these gifts and many students like me will benefit from the books donated by the Americans," Bennie Santiago, a grade schooler, told the independent Mindanao Examiner newspaper.

“Partnership is the key theme of the bilateral naval exercises ongoing between the United States and Philippine Navies,” the U.S. Embassy said on Monday.

Three U.S. ships -- the USS Harpers Ferry from Sasebo, Japan; the USS Ford from Everett, Washington; and the USS Jarrett from San Diego, California -- and three smaller Philippine boats are participating in the training. (Mindanao Examiner)

U.S. Grants Aid To Jolo War Refugees

MANILA – Washington on Friday granted US$75,000 to the Save the Children Federation (SCF) to provide immediate relief assistance to Filipinos displaced by fighting in the southern island of Jolo.

Security forces were battling Moro National Liberation Front rebels and Abu Sayyaf militants tied to al-Qaeda terror network on the island. At least 2 dozen people had been killed and over 100 people wounded in fierce clashes since April 13 on the towns of Parang, Talipao and Indanan.

The U.S. Embassy in Manila said relief items to be provided include temporary shelter materials, water containers, cooking utensils and hygiene kits. The commodities, it said, will be distributed through the Mindanao Emergency Response Network (MERN) composed of local non-government organizations and community-based groups organized by SCF.

The United Nations said as many as 42,000 people have been displaced by the fighting in seven of 18 towns on the island in the Sulu Archipelago, about 950 km south of Manila.

“We are dismayed, but not discouraged, by the recent outbreak of fighting started by rogue elements opposed to progress. The people of Sulu Province know that we stand by them now, as we have in the past, in our mutual efforts to bring peace and prosperity to their beautiful islands,” a U.S. Embassy statement sent to the Mindanao Examiner said.

The UN World Food Programme said it would send 85 tons of rice to help feed the refugees, now housed in temporary shelters across the island. (Mindanao Examiner)