[isuzu]

I come from the Philippines, and I would like to thank you for helping in the rescue efforts. Here's the update:

US military begins aid to Leyte landslide victims

First posted 10:18am (Mla time) Feb 18, 2006
By Tonette Orejas
Inquirer




CLARK SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONE --The United States military's joint task force overseeing the Balikatan 2006 exercises is sending a survey team to the landslide site in St. Bernard town, Southern Leyte province on Saturday to assess what humanitarian assistance the residents require.

"We don't want to give help that they don't need," Captain Burrell Parmer, Balikatan public information officer told the Inquirer to explain the aim of the survey.

The task force's team of engineers and medical personnel will take off from this former US military base on board a KC-130 cargo plane, Parmer said.

He did not say how many members were in the team but said it was staffed with "adequate people with the right skills" from the US Army, Marine, Air Force, and Navy.

The incident in Southern Leyte is not expected to affect the schedule of Balikatan 2006, which starts on February 20 in the provinces of Sulu Cebu and in the region of Luzon

 

[on target]

First and foremost American's are caring and companionate people; there is no way that we would not assist regardless of the current political conditions. Americans will never forget the horrible takeover of your nation suffered by the Japanese and the almost super human way the Philippine people fought to get it back. This is a tragedy and our hearts go out to the entire nation.

 

[isuzu]

Originally posted by on target
First and foremost American's are caring and companionate people; there is no way that we would not assist regardless of the current political conditions. Americans will never forget the horrible takeover of your nation suffered by the Japanese and the almost super human way the Philippine people fought to get it back. This is a tragedy and our hearts go out to the entire nation.

That is very comforting, On Target. My sincere thanks to you. I still can't comprehend why some people hate the US when the US tries to help, and bring peace and progress to other countries. Just to give an example, US Forces were not very welcome in Indonesia when they tried to assist the people there when the tsunami hit.

P.S.

Got to live in Pt. Pleasant Boro, NJ when I was an exchange student in the early 80's. Very nice place!

 

[isuzu]

ST. BERNARD, Southern Leyte -- American soldiers taking part in the "Balikatan" exercises began arriving here to take part in rescue and relief efforts for victims of a landslide that buried an entire village.

The humanitarian contingent was mainly from the US 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit based in Okinawa. Helicopters landing near an evacuation center announced the presence of the US military volunteers in this grief-stricken town.

At least 15 US soldiers were seen setting up a command post at the municipal hall grounds.

Another group of officers, including a Filipino-American chaplain, surveyed the disaster site.

Second Lieutenant Edward Rushing said his initial assessment showed that up to 75 US servicemen could be deployed to assist local rescuers.

Up to 1,000 of the 6,000 US troops taking part in the Balikatan exercises can be tapped to work here, said Lieutenant Colonel Don Biadog, a chaplain of the brigade.

"I also did rescue operations in the 9-11 attacks but this is something else," said Biadog, a Filipino-American originally from Bacolod City. "What I saw was mind-boggling and horrendous. I've never seen anything like this."

"I especially feel bad about the kids," said Biadog, referring to the more than 200 children feared buried in a local school.

Visibly more organized three days after the tragedy, the rescue teams are still on a "search-and-rescue mode," said Army Major General Bonifacio Ramos, commander of the 8th Infantry Division.

They were nevertheless ready with more body bags and sacks of lime for new corpses to be found.

Amid the roar of bulldozers and choppers, Fr. Jose Labrador of the San Agustin Parish said Mass for the victims before noon.