Turnover of classrooms to cap ‘Talon’

CAPAS, Tarlac — The turnover of P6 million worth of schoolrooms, day care centers and basketball courts to the Capas municipal government will cap the "Talon Vision" joint military exercise on Nov. 15.

Capas Mayor Rey Catacutan said members of the 900-man US marine contingent, who arrived in the country for the maneuvers that started on All Saints’ Day, have completed the construction of four classrooms at the Maruglo Elementary School and a basketball court in Barangay Maruglo, one of the villages located within the Crow Valley area.

The US military used the Crow Valley as a firing and gunnery range when it was still occupying the former Clark Air Base in Angeles City and the Subic Naval Base in Olongapo City.

Both former military bases have been transformed into special economic zones since the US abandoned them in 1991.

Catacutan said US marine engineers are now completing an unfinished schoolbuilding in Barangay Sta. Juliana, also within the Crow Valley area. — Benjie Villa