Ang Pahayagan

PAMPANGA -United States Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson, together with Defense Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro, Jr., and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff General Romeo S. Brawner, Jr., led the observation of a joint simulation exercise on the delivery of family food packs (FFPs) for flood-affected communities, at Clark Air Base.

The event featured a demonstration of how FFPs from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) are loaded and transported using US military aircraft, particularly the MV-22 Osprey, highlighting the logistics and coordination required in humanitarian response missions. The activity also serves to determine ways and means to further enhance future joint HADR operations.

Ambassador Carlson reaffirmed the support of the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM), which has been working closely with the AFP in transporting relief supplies to areas impacted by successive monsoons. A total of 4,800 food packs from DSWD have already been delivered, including to far-flung provinces such as the Batanes Islands, and prepositioned for future distribution.

Teodoro emphasized the shared values underpinning the Philippine–US partnership.

“Our partnership is premised on a fundamental value, the irreplaceable worth we place on every human life. That is very valuable to both of us. We respect each other, we respect human lives, and we are here to preserve that fundamental value,” Secretary Teodoro said.

He added, “To our treaty partners, the United States of America, we say thank you. And this will not be the last time. In the spirit of multilateralism, in the spirit of our bilateral people-to-people ties, we hope this partnership will be sustained and enhanced to contribute to the greater good of humankind.”

The activity also included a guided cabin tour of the MV-22 Osprey, underscoring its capability for rapid response and agile delivery in crisis scenarios.

📸 DND