Calbayog, Samar – Members of the U.S. Navy Mobile Construction Battalion 133 (NMBC 133) arrived in Samar on May 10 and 11 to conduct engineering assistance projects along with the Armed Forces of the Philippines. The engineering projects are part of Pacific Partnership 2008, which also includes the visit of the USNS Mercy to the Philippines later this month.
The “Sea Bees”, as members of NMBC 133 are affectionately referred to, were welcomed by Mayor Melsarmiento last Saturday 10 May 2008 with local traditional dancing at the airport.
Together with the AFP and with the assistance of local area government officials, several engineering projects are scheduled to be conducted in Samar, including renovations to the main health center in Capoocan and the municipal health center office in Sta. Margarita. Other construction and renovation projects will take place at the clinic pharmacy in Botika Ng Barangay, Gandara District Hospital in Gandara and in Greenland Subdivision. Also slated to take place during Pacific Partnership 2008 in Samar are ten days of medical and dental civil affairs projects (MEDCAPs and DENCAPs) that will occur in June.
“We’re excited about the projects that were picked for this year’s Pacific Partnership and working with the AFP.” said LCDR Jay Lutz, U.S. Pacific Fleet lead engineering planner for Samar.
From May through mid June 2008, Pacific Partnership 2008 (PP08) will perform humanitarian and civic assistance missions in the Republic of the Philippines to enhance relations between partner nations. The hospital ship, USNS Mercy, will visit Mindanao from late May through mid June, operate near Samar en route to Manila, and visit Manila for community relations events.
