Facility built by Filipino, US forces turned over to LGU

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — Officials of the Army’s 10th Infantry Division and counterparts in the United States military together inaugurated on Wednesday, May 6, a multi-purpose hall in Carmen, Davao del Norte, together constructed by Filipino and American soldiers.

The building in Barangay Tibulao was turned over last Wednesday to officials of the Carmen local government unit by representatives from the Army’s 10th ID and US military servicemen in a symbolic rite witnessed by barangay officials and sectoral representatives from across the municipality.

The construction of the building by Filipino and American soldiers, which started in the second week of April, is part of the Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response activities of the Balikatan Exercises 41-2026.

Local officials said they shall use the building as a barangay public service center and venue for peace and security dialogues among community leaders.

Major Gen. Alvin Luzon, commander of the 10th ID, said on Friday that US soldiers and personnel of the Philippine Army’s 534th Engineer Construction Battalion, the 27th Infantry Battalion, the 1003rd Infantry Brigade and the Carmen local government cooperated in constructing the building.

He said the inauguration of the building was capped off with a medical and dental outreach activity by Filipino and US soldiers in a public covered court nearby.

Luzon and his subordinate-officers said 1,253 villagers in Barangay Tibulao and from nearby areas benefited from the outreach mission, during which Filipino and US soldiers also turned over laptop computers, television sets and solar power kits to municipal officials, intended for their community service thrusts.