Balikatan 2019: AFP, U.S. Army begin construction project at Pagasa Elementary
Philippine citizens sing the Philippine National Anthem during the Engineering Civic Action Project 4 opening ceremony at Pagasa Elementary School in Orani, Bataan, as part of Exercise Balikatan, March 12, 2019. During the exercise planning process, military planners visited various locations in coordination with the Armed Forces of the Philippines and local officials to nominate sites. Numerous factors were taken into account, including logistics requirements, unit capabilities, and exercise requirements. Pagasa Elementary School was selected as one of the Balikatan construction projects following this selection process. Exercise Balikatan, in its 35th iteration, is an annual U.S.-Philippine military training exercise focused on a variety of missions, including humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, counter terrorism, and other combined military operations. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Scott Vargas, 128th MPAD)