Preparations for Balikatan in high gear

Preparations are in high gear for the holding of the joint Philippine-US Balikatan war exercises in Sulu starting next month, a senior military official said. 

Maj. Gen. Ruben Rafael, commander of Joint Task Force Comet (JTFC), said that on top of the ongoing humanitarian activities, several programs are being lined up for Balikatan from February to March.

A US military contingent is actively helping the Filipino troops in running after members of the Abu Sayyaf and Jemaah Islamiyah in the island province. 

“We have lined up at least three medical civic action programs and a series of civil-military activities in several barangays in selected municipalities,” Rafael said. 

These humanitarian activities are aimed at providing basic services to the local folk like potable water, health services and livelihood projects to uplift their living conditions.

The Balikatan participants are also expected to build roads and repair school buildings. 

These activities are in support of the “peace offensive” being jointly waged by the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the provincial and local governments.

Under the military’s peace offensive, 44 priority projects have been lined up, including 22 water systems, renovation of seven schools and four mosques, and 11 livelihood projects. 

At present, Filipino troops, with a P5-million fund released by AFP chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr., are now carrying out these projects in priority barangays in the towns of Indanan, Patikul, Panamao, Luuk, Talipao, Kalingalang Caluang, Pata, Panglima Tahil, and Maimbung.