U.S. Philanthropy Fights Terror with Ambulances; Zamboanga Receives First Donation

While the Armed Forces of the Philippines fights terrorists in the jungle, Armando “Andy” de Rossi and his 3P Foundation USA have partnered with the U.S. Government to help make a difference for the people of the Philippines by supplying ambulances to organizations in the country.

“I’m a firm believer that the private sector has to do its part in the war on terror,” said de Rossi, an Italian-born philanthropist and co-founder of the 3P (Promotion of Peace and Prosperity in the Philippines) Foundation USA. “We are here jointly, with the U.S. military, to promote peace, prosperity, democracy, and freedom.”

The USS Harpers Ferry transported five ambulances from Subic Bay to Zamboanga; the ambulances arrived on October 26 (pictured above, left). One was presented immediately to the local fire department, with Chief Jamie Ramirez on hand to accept the keys. Ramirez and de Rossi (center, right-hand photo) were joined in a brief ceremony by Maj. Gen. Eugenio Cedo (right, right-hand photo), commander of the AFP’s Western Mindanao Command, and U.S. Navy Cmdr. Craig Anthony (left, right-hand photo), commanding officer of the USS Harpers Ferry.

The delivery of the ambulances was a joint effort, Cedo said. The ambulances were offloaded at the Philippine Navy port in Zamboanga, and four of the ambulances will be stored there until going to their destinations in the southern Philippines. The Jolo Red Cross; Jolo Rescue Network; Camp Asturias hospital on Jolo; and a clinic on the island of Tawi Tawi will receive ambulances soon.

Anthony said the U.S. and the Philippines enjoy a close relationship and that 36 of the 350 crew members serving on board the USS Harpers Ferry are Filipino-American. “My crew and I feel privileged to have been part of the delivery of the ambulances,” he added.

The U.S. Navy’s Project Handclasp allows property of a nongovernmental organization to be transported onboard its ships when space allows. The program is a one-of-a-kind partnership of military, government, and private sector entities and involves U.S. theater commanders, U.S. Navy operational commanders, U.S. embassies and the units of U.S. sea services.

De Rossi said the 3P Foundation USA is working with the U.S. Embassy in Manila to distribute nine more ambulances, adding that he expects to bring even more to the Philippines. These are “coming from the heart of your brothers in the U.S.A. to our brothers in the Philippines, whom we love so much.”

De Rossi estimated the cost of the ambulances at between $17,000 and $20,000 each, which included purchasing, refurbishing, painting, and transporting them to Manila.

The U.S. Military’s partnership with the 3P Foundation USA continues in the form of the Humanitarian Assistance Program - Excess Property (HAP-EP), under which nearly $80,000 in medical supplies were also delivered by the USS Harpers Ferry. When the U.S. military has excess supplies no longer being used, they can be given to nongovernmental organizations, such as 3P. These medical supplies, from military units on Okinawa, will be distributed throughout the Philippines.

In addition to helping deliver the ambulances and medical supplies, members of the USS Harpers Ferry are participating in a beautification project at a local school.

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