US Pacific Angels end humanitarian aid in Bohol

TAGBILARAN CITY, Philippines – Volunteers of the US Pacific Angels 15-1 yesterday concluded their weeklong humanitarian efforts in health services outreach and engineering in different towns of Bohol.

Brigadier General John Hillyer of the U.S. Pacific Air Force said the humanitarian mission was a “beautiful expression of support” highlighting friendship between the Philippines and the United States.

Hillyer, together with at least 100 of his men and women of the Pacific Angels, graced the closing ceremony held at a covered court of Barangay Dao, this city, and attended by City Mayor John Geesnell Yap II, provincial administrator Alfonso Damalerio II, Brigadier General Francisco Carada of the Philippines Air Force’s 560th Air Base Wing, Lieutenant Colonel Jamie Lindman and Department of Education officials and schoolchildren.

Yap later joined Hillyer, Department of Education's city superintendent Evangel Luminarias, Carada and Damalerio in the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the school classroom rehabilitation done by the Pacific Angels volunteers.

Carada, for his part, said “we need each other to work together,” in the aftermath of calamities, particularly the 7.2-magnitude earthquake that struck Bohol on October 15, 2013, leaving more than 200 dead and scores of damages in public, private buildings and heritage centuries-old churches.

The Pacific Angels' team of engineering civic action, in collaboration with the Provincial Engineering Team, did repairs on damaged schools at Tagbilaran City and the towns of San Isidro, Dao, Loboc, Dauis and Bilar.

The mission started in August 17 also with medical services focusing on general medicine, pediatrics, physical therapy, optometry and dentistry in Lila town, according to Liza Flores, in-charge of the special project of the governor’s office.

Lila town Vice Mayor Eb Raut, in a separate interview, told The FREEMAN that hundreds of beneficiaries availed themselves of the medical mission, with Mayor Regina Salazar and Governor Edgar Chatto leading the reception of the American volunteers.

Mayor Yap thanked the Pacific Angels volunteers for their help in rehabilitating the schools of Barangay Dao in this city.