Phil. Marines, US Forces, 3P Foundation turn over water system to 4 Patikul barangays

(PATIKUL, SULU/29March 2006) --The 3rd Marine Brigade of the Philippine Marines Corps today turned over a water system project to the people of Barangay Danag in Patikul, Sulu.

3rd MB Commander Col. Juancho Sabban in an interview said the Danag water system, which was inaugurated yesterday is an 8-tank system that runs through an approximate total distance of 10 to 11 kilometers, serving Barangays Danag, Bungcaong, Latih, and Bangkal." The water is sourced out from a spring water reservoir in Mount Sinumaan, which is about 2 kilometers away from Danag, so the pipes connect the 8 tanks in the 4 barangays," Sabban said.

"We asked our US counterparts for assistance in the procurement of tanks and system. Their batallion commander down here, who is also an engineer himself, was able to lay down the plans and designs. Then we asked the 3P Foundation, chaired by Mr. Armando de Rossi, for support and they provided the tanks and system," the Marines commander shared.

The Danag Water System is a combined effort of the 3rd Marines Brigade of the Philippine Marines Corps, the United States Joint Special Operations Task Force Philippines, 3P Foundation and Armando de Rossi, Sulu Vice-Gov. Nur-anna Sahidulla, and the community of Danag. "What made this better was that the people themselves volunteered in the digging for the system, thus adding local manpower to the Philippine Marines and the US Forces," Sabban stressed. "Walang gastos ang gobyerno dito (Government did not spend anything here)," he added.

The 3rd MB also built an Adult Learning Center in Danag that was inaugurated yesterday with Dep-Ed teachers, community leaders, and qualified Marines soldiers set to conduct classes to adult-learners under its Marines Literacy Patrol System.

Southern Command Vice-Commander Gen. Benjamin Dolorfino, Task Force Comet chief Gen. Alexander Aleo, 103rd Infantry Brigade Commander General Raymundo Ferrer, US State Department Defense Attache Craig Meritt, JSOTF-P Deputy Commander William Sutton, participants of the Asian Institute of Management-Mirant Center's training program led by former Sec. Ernie Garilao, and local officials were among those who witnessed the inauguration.

Latih Barangay Chairman Datu Ahmad Albani said he and his people are most thankful that the Americans and the Marines have cared that much for them that they should work together to take care of the system--the first ever in all of his 55 years that the four barangays have been granted a development project. (Frencie L. Carreon)