Photo: Carat 2007

The United States Navy’s USS Harpers Ferry, a 16,500-ton amphibious warfare ship, and two 4,000-ton frigates, the USS Ford and USS Jarrett, and three smaller Filipino ships are participating in the ten-day war games called CARAT 2007 or Cooperation Afloat Readiness And Training. Some 2,000 troops are involved in the training that begins Thursday, 31 May 2007 off the Sulu Archipelago where local troops are battling members of the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf group and Jemaah Islamiya in the Sulu Archipelago. (Mindanao Examiner Photo Service)

RP, US War Games Starts Off Sulu Archipelago

The USS Harpers Ferry is surrounded by Filipino trawlers off the southern Philippines where some 2,000 U.S. and Philippine troops are to begin Thursday, 31 May 2007, a ten-day joint amphibious warfare called CARAT 2007, Cooperation Afloat Readiness And Training, in the Sulu Archipelago, where local security forces are battling members of the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf group and Jemaah Islamiya. About 6 ships from both countries will participate in the war games. (Mindanao Examiner Photo Service)

ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / 30 May) – The Philippine military on Wednesday tightened security at sea in the restive southern region where some 2,000 U.S. and Filipino troops are to begin a joint amphibious training.

Locals on Wednesday cheered from the sea coast as they waved at the USS Harpers Ferry anchored off Zamboanga City.

The ship is one of three that the United States sent to participate in the ten-day war games called CARAT 2007 or Cooperation Afloat Readiness And Training starting on Thursday in the Sulu Archipelago, where local troops are battling members of the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf group and Jemaah Islamiya.

The ship is being protected by U.S. and Philippine patrol boats. Filipino trawlers were also spotted near the USS Harpers Ferry.

The Philippines is also sending three smaller ships in the war games which will be held off Basilan island.

“There will also be joint medical mission in Zamboanga and Basilan (island),” Ensign Annaleah Palad, spokesperson for the Philippine Navy, told the independent regional newspaper, the Mindanao Examiner.

The Philippines is a staunch ally of the United States in the so-called global war on terror. Hundreds of U.S. troops are currently deployed in Zamboanga and Jolo island and other parts of Mindanao to help the Philippine military defeat local terrorist groups, blamed for the spate of bombings and kidnappings of foreigners in the troubled region. (Mindanao Examiner)

US Sailors On A Mission To Spread Goodwill In RP

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Crew of USS Harpers Ferry on a mission to spread goodwill. Scenes on Thursday 26 Oct 2006 at Pasobolong Elementary School in Zamboanga City in Southern RP. (Mindanao Examiner)

(Mindanao Examiner MP4)

ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / 26 Oct) - About two dozen sailors from the U.S. transport ship USS Harpers Ferry on Thursday trooped to a small village in the outskirts of Zamboanga City in the southern Philippines to donate books and foods and help locals paint a school.

“We are really so happy to see the sailors here. They gave us books and foods and were helping us paint the rooms. We want to thank President George Bush, the U.S. military, the U.S. Embassy and the American people for the humanitarian assistance and we will never forget this day,” Imelda Mabalot, the principal of the Pasobolong Elementary School, told the Mindanao Examiner.

The sailors arrived on a convoy of vehicles at around 9 a.m. and bringing with boxes of paints, bottled water, sandwiches, biscuits and books. Two sailors were also spotted carrying sewing machines and canned apple juice distributed to the school in the village of Pasobolong, about 20 kms east of Zamboanga.

“We are here to help the Filipino people and the U.S. forces are involved in many humanitarian missions in the southern Philippines to help the people and promote peace side by side with the Armed Forces of the Philippines,” said U.S. Air Force Major John Redfield, public affairs officer.

U.S. soldiers provided security to the sailors while they paint school rooms and mingled with villagers.

The USS Harpers Ferry arrived is anchored off Zamboanga City. It arrived Wednesday to deliver five ambulances donated by an Italian philanthropist, Armando de Rossi, of the 3P Foundation.

The ambulances, worth $20,000 each, came from the United States and were shipped to Subic Bay, a former U.S. base outside Manila. They will be donated to the Zamboanga City Fire Department; the Jolo Rescue Network; the Camp Asturias Hospital and the Red Cross on Jolo island and a clinic on Tawi-Tawi.

De Rossi said about a dozen more ambulances would be delivered to the southern Philippines and distributed to areas where the vehicles are needed.

"These ambulances are donation by people all over the world who cared about Mindanao and its people. We are concerned about the people, about the peace and development efforts in the Philippines and we will continue to help the Filipino people," he said.

The 3P (Promotion of Peace and Prosperity in the Philippines) Foundation purchased 14 Ford F350 ambulances to donate to places throughout the Philippines in an effort to bring better medical supplies and capabilities to local provinces.

De Rossi said that once the ambulances are delivered to their final destinations, they will save plenty of lives. "We're just here to promote the goodwill of America to the Filipino people, and to show the Filipinos that the United States cares," he said.

De Rossi is actively involved in humanitarian activities in Jolo and had donated tens of millions of dollars in infrastructure and medical equipment on the island. (Mindanao Examiner)

More Aid Arrives For Filipino-Muslims In Troubled Sulu Archipelago

Italian philanthropist Armando de Rossi, of the 3P Foundation USA, donates five ambulances for Zamboanga City, Jolo and Tawi-Tawi islands in the troubled Sulu Archipelago. The U.S. navy ship, USS Harpers Ferry, delivered the vehicles, worth $20,000 each, to a Philippine military base in Zamboanga City. Philippine Army Lt. Gen. Eugenio Cedo received the ambulances in Zamboanga from De Rossi and USS Harpers Ferry Commander Craig Anthony.(Mindanao Examiner)

ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / 25 Oct ) – A US Navy transport ship arrived Wednesday in the southern Philippine port city of Zamboanga to unload five ambulances donated by an international foundation.

U.S. and Filipino military officials said the donation came from Italian philanthropist, Armando de Rossi, of the 3P Foundation.

The ambulances, worth $20,000 each, came from the United States and were shipped to Subic Bay, a former U.S. base outside Manila, and then transported to Zamboanga City by the USS Harpers Ferry, said U.S. Air Force Major John Redfield, public affairs officer.

"The ambulances were donated by the 3P Foundation to the Filipino people and will be distributed to various recipients in Zamboanga, Jolo and Tawi-Tawi. The U.S. military is very proud to be a part of this team effort to help the people of the Philippines."

"By working together, the 3P Foundation, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and U.S. Navy’s Project Handclasp were able to present these five ambulances to organizations in Zamboanga, Jolo, and Tawi Tawi."

"It’s possible that these ambulances could one day save lives, so this is a really rewarding and inspiring project to be a part of," Redfield said in a statement sent to the Mindanao Examiner.Project Handclasp is a special outreach program by the U.S. Navy.

Philippine Army Lt. Gen. Eugenio Cedo said more ambulances are expected to arrive before the year ends. “Mr. De Rossi promised us that more ambulances are arriving that will benefit government hospitals,” he said.

De Rossi said about a dozen more ambulances would be delivered to the southern Philippines and distributed to areas where the vehicles are needed. “These ambulances are donation by people all over the world who cared about Mindanao and its people. We are concerned about the people, about the peace and development efforts in the Philippines and we will continue to help the Filipino people,” he said.

The 3P (Promotion of Peace and Prosperity in the Philippines) Foundation purchased 14 Ford F350 ambulances to donate to places throughout the Philippines in an effort to bring better medical supplies and capabilities to local provinces. And five of them would be donated to the Zamboanga City Fire Department; the Jolo Rescue Network; the Camp Asturias Hospital on Jolo; the Jolo Red Cross; and a clinic on Tawi Tawi.

De Rossi said that once the ambulances are delivered to their final destinations, they will save plenty of lives. “We're just here to promote the goodwill of America to the Filipino people, and to show the Filipinos that the United States cares," he said.

De Rossi is actively involved in humanitarian activities in Jolo and had donated tens of millions of dollars in infrastructure and medical equipment on the island. (With a report from Uly Israel)