Balikatan exercises kick off in Ilocos Sur today

SAN JUAN, Ilocos Sur , Philippines  – The Philippine-US Balikatan 2010 joint military exercises kick off its Ilocos leg here today.

US forces will conduct medical, dental and veterinary activities and extend engineering assistance in northern and central Luzon until March 19 as part of the exercises.

The Balikatan socio-civic activities are part of the US humanitarian assistance to the Philippines after the devastating typhoons last year.

The US forces will also train Filipino troops on relief operations during natural disasters and other crises that endanger public health and safety.

Lt. Col. Rogelio Migote, commander of the Army’s 50th Infantry Battalion based here, said the advance party of the US contingent for the exercises has arrived.

Migote said the US contingent will arrive in Ilocos Sur in batches to join their Filipino counterparts.

US and Filipino troops participating in the military exercises will construct two-room schools buildings in Barangays Teppeng, Cadanglaan and Marnay in Sinait, Ilocos Sur, a two-room school building and a flood control project in Barangay Pias, and a health center in Barangay Baluarte in Salcedo town as part of the Engineering Civic Action Program of Balikatan 2010.

Migote said Sinait and Salcedo towns are both considered “rebel-infested.”

He said alleviating poverty in Ilocos Sur would help eradicate the insurgency problem.

The military overran a huge New People’s Army training camp in Salcedo five years ago. 

Balikatan 2010 contingents will also conduct medical and dental civic action projects in various barangays in Sinait and Salcedo.  

The seven target barangays are Cabarambanan, Cadanglaan, Barabac, Teppeng, and Quimallogon in Sinait, and Pias and San Jose in Salcedo.

A group of Filipino and US troops has already started advance projects in northern and central Luzon to ensure that the engineering projects would meet the highest quality and safety standards and can be turned over to the communities before the March 19 closing ceremonies of the military exercises.