By 20th Infantry
Battalion, 8ID PA
June 29, 2012
BRGY MAGSAYSAY, Lope de Vega, Northern Samar – Due to the
overwhelming support of all the stakeholders in the entire province of
Northern Samar, the conduct of Pacific Partnership 2012 (PP12)
activities was successfully completed in the province of Northern
Samar.
In his report to Colonel Rolando C Malinao, the Commanding Officer of
803Bde, 8ID, PA, Lieutenant Colonel Noel Vestuir, Commanding Officer
of 20IB, stressed that his unit has successfully secured the conduct
of PP12 activities in the entire area due to the support and
assistance of all the security elements, the 3rd Regional Public
Safety Company of the PNP, to include local officials from the Local
Chief Executives down to the Barangay Tanods and the volunteer members
of the Barangay Peacekeeping Action Teams (BPATs) in the barangays.
The conduct of security operations is being supervised by the 803Bde
Security Task Group headed by Col Mario G Lacurom.
Despite the threats posed by local terrorists, the security forces
according to LTC Vestuir have performed their job of preempting any
untoward incident that may disrupt the conduct of PP12 activities.
PP12 is the largest Humanitarian Mission in the region aimed to
facilitate the delivery of basic services and enhance the capacity of
partner nations to a have a synchronized and well-coordinated response
when actual disaster strikes. These activities include, Humanitarian
Assistance such as: Medical and Dental Civic Action Programs (MEDCAP);
Veterinary Civic Action Program (VETCAP); Engineering Civic Action
Programs (ENGCAP); Medical and Dental Subject Matter Expert Exchange (MEDSMEE);
Veterinary Subject Matter Expert Exchange (VETSMEE) and Engineering
Subject Matter Expert Exchange (ENGSMEE) among others.
The PP12 activities culminated during the ribbon cutting ceremony and
subsequent turn-over of newly constructed two (2) classroom school
building in Barangay Palanit, San Isidro, Northern Samar and the newly
refurbished health center in Barangay Bugtong, Tinambacan District,
Calbayog City respectively.
Honorable Congressman Mel Senen Sarmiento of the 1st District of Samar
in his message during the ribbon-cutting ceremony, stressed that the
completion of the engineering projects did not only showcased the
physical aspect of an infrastructure that is very beneficial to people
but most significantly it symbolized the strength of cooperation,
convergence among partner nations, the support of local volunteers
which is indeed the true and genuine essence of Bayanihan.
