AFP hosting largest Pacific humanitarian mission in Samar

MANILA, Philippines - The largest humanitarian and civic assistance mission in the Pacific by the United States Pacific Fleet will be held in the Philippines, a senior military official said yesterday.

 The province of Samar stands to benefit from this year’s Pacific Partnership 2012.

 Joining the US in the humanitarian activities are the Philippines’ allies and partner states Thailand, Australia, Malaysia, Canada, France, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Chile, Peru and The Netherlands, said Col. Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos, Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesman, said.

Civic action activities and humanitarian assistance and disaster response will be held from June 18 to July 1, Burgos said.

 One of two modern hospital ships in the US Navy – the USS Mercy – will dock in the province to provide hospital services to patients needing immediate surgery and other major medical attention.

 “Foreign non-government organizations (NGOs) like Project Hope, Oceanit, World Vets, and Vietnam Medical Assistance Program will also join local NGOs in the implementation of engineering civic action programs, medical civil action programs, Dental Civic Action Programs, and Veterinary Civic Action Programs, are also participating in this year’s activities in Samar,” Burgos said.

 He said many areas in Samar have been identified as beneficiaries of the humanitarian mission.

 The AFP is also deploying its engineering battalion in partnership with the US Pacific 30th Naval Construction Regiment in building roads, renovating schools, health centers and other services in Samar, one of the poorest and insurgency-affected province in Eastern Visayas. Samar is also known as a typhoon-prone area.

 Along with the regular troops, the AFP is now mobilizing reservists called to active duty to participate in the event, for them to be able to hone their skills and knowledge in the implementation of assistance, disaster response, and other civil military operations.

 Pacific Partnership 2012 was rooted from humanitarian initiatives following the tsunami that ravaged Indonesia that claimed the lives of more than 200,000 people in 2004.