Thousands helped as Pacific Angel ends in Philippines

  • Published
  • By Capt. Genieve David
  • 13th Air Force Public Affairs
LAOAG, Philippines --  Operation Pacific Angel 10-1 officially ended Feb. 22 after seven days of civic assistance projects here that provided medical care to nearly 14,000 patients, veterinary care to more than 3,300 animals, and new classrooms for approximately 480 local children.

Operation Pacific Angel is a joint and combined humanitarian assistance operation conducted in the Pacific area of responsibility to support U.S. Pacific Command's capacity building efforts. This humanitarian and civic assistance program is aimed at improving military-civilian cooperation between the United States and the host nation.

The Philippine National Police, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, local civilians, and non-governmental organizations worked side-by-side with more than 50 U.S. Air Force and Army personnel during the operation.

"Initially the operation seemed like a daunting task, but without the assistance from the non-governmental organizations, the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police, the success of this operation could not have been possible," said Lt. Col. Al Alana, Operation Pacific Angel 10-1 mission commander.

Each medical program focused on general medicine, dental and optometry cases. Some of the more common medical care included treatment for upper respiratory illnesses, flu-like symptoms, previously sustained injuries, decayed teeth and cataracts.

In addition to the medical piece, two engineering civic assistance events, providing thousands of dollars in renovations and totaling 3,500 hours of work, were conducted concurrently at Apaya and Caaoacan Elementary Schools here.

Engineers from the U.S. Air Force, as well as the Philippine army and air force, conducted masonry, carpentry, electrical and utility infrastructure work to restore two classrooms for children in the local area.

"The full scope of work included contracted replacement of the entire roof at both schools," said Capt. Frank Blaz, 254th Red Horse Squadron officer-in-charge deployed from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. "We completed the drop ceilings, installation of electrical wiring, lighting and fan circuits, new sinks, renovation of a restroom facility, installation of new wall and floor tile, to name a few."

Alongside the medical, dental, optometry and engineering projects, two mobile veterinary services teams were sent to more than 41 local villages throughout the city. They provided de-worming and vitamin vaccinations to more than 3,300 cattle, goats and caribou.

According to the Laoag Department of Health, the rabies virus is rampant in the Philippines, so the combined veterinary team also provided rabies vaccinations to hundreds of dogs and cats.

The city honored the hard work the combined Pacific Angel team provided the citizens here by hosting an appreciation dinner for more than 200 participants from the United States and the Philippines.

"To touch approximately 10 percent of the Laoag population and have an effect of that magnitude is overwhelming," said Colonel Alana, who is deployed from Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam, Hawaii. "It was a very heartfelt experience and everyone put their blood, sweat, and tears into it."

Operation Pacific Angel is a recurring Pacific Air Forces joint and combined humanitarian and civic assistance operation led by 13th Air Force at JB Pearl Harbor Hickam. Three more iterations of Operation Pacific Angel 2010 will take place in Vietnam, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.