THE primary purpose of the Philippine-U.S. Exercise Balikatan 2013 (BK 2013) was to put in place what the Mutual Defense Treaty between the governments of the Philippines and the United States hopes to achieve, which is a mechanism for one to aid the other against external aggression, established within the parameters of the United Nations’ Charter.
During the formal closing of BK 2013 on Wednesday, 17 April at the AFP Headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, Philippine Army Maj. Gen. Virgilio O Domingo, commandant of the Command and General Staff Course (CGSC) and the Philippine Balikatan exercise director, however pointed out that the exercise was “more than war readiness” as it also gave emphasis to humanitarian missions and disaster response.
At BK 2013’s Media Day on 13 April 2013 in Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija, the U.S. Army demonstrated the capability of their water purification systems to turn flood waters into potable drinking water.
Philippine Army Sgt Melecio Portuguese of the Provost Marshall demonstrated the purging process, explaining how the ultraviolet exposure kills or inactivates all bacteria in the water.
According to AFP Public Affairs Officer Major Emmanuel R Garcia (PA), similar purifiers were loaned to the AFP by the U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific (MarForPac) during past disasters in the country which made potable drinking water scarce in the affected areas. AFP water purification teams from the National Development Support Command (NADESCOM) were deployed to Palawan in the first quarter of 2012 during a cholera outbreak, to Bicol in the second quarter of 2012 during the onslaught of Typhoons Pepeng and Quiel, and to Cagayan de Oro and Iligan in December 2012 during Typhoon Sendong.
Aspen Water, Inc. maker of the water purifier system based in Richardson, Texas, describes its most popular Aspen DM2000 as “the most compact, versatile, full featured, computer controlled, energy-efficient, mobile reverse osmosis system available today. All internal mechanical systems are mounted on a strong lightweight aluminum frame enclosed in a ruggedized military style case.”
For his part, Jim Muldoon, military adviser at Fort Shafter, U.S. Army Pacific (USARPAC), said the ASPEN DM2000 can purify fresh surface, well water and even heavy sea salt water, and can produce 100 gallons of clean, safe water per hour. The much improved ASPEN 5500M can supply about 5,000 gallons per day, or between 190 to 210 gallons per hour, of highly purified water from virtually any non-saline water source, or water drawn from ditches, rivers, lakes or standing water and even those that contain chemical or biological contamination.
During an interview with Maj. Gen Roger Mathews, Deputy Commanding General of USARPAC, I asked in jest whether the U.S. Armed Force would consider “donating” one of its water purifiers to the AFP. He said he was not in the best position to decide on the matter but would consider it. Personally acknowledging to me that it was a good question, he then instructed Major Isaac Taylor of the Public Affairs Office, U.S. Army, to take note of it for future discussion. The latter dutifully took my name and number and gave his own email address, with the assurance that the Command would notify me of any future action on the matter. I was very impressed by how efficiently both the U.S. and PHL Army Forces representatives dealt with the media.
In an ensuing discussion with AFP Public Affairs Officer Major Garcia, he clarified that the AFP does not solicit equipment from other countries, but acquire them at minimal cost. Maj. Gen. Gregorio Pio P Catapang Jr., Commander of the Philippine Army’s 7th Infantry Division that hosted the media event, affirmed the fact, saying that the refurbished Philippine Navy flagship, the 48-year old BRP Gregorio del Pilar (PF-15), was acquired at 10 percent of its original amount.
He said it would still be of use to the AFP for 25 years. The transfer cost of the ship was Php450 million or around US$13.18 million in 2011.
Acknowledging the apparent advantages of the water urifier equipment, after we have gulped down bottles of the already purified water from a rather murky lake a few meters from where the demonstration was held, one broadcaster suggested that the U.S. Armed Forces could help by lessening the cost to the Philippine government—should the latter decide to purchase the equipment—by allowing its shipment free of charge through any of the U.S. military’s aircraft. Good idea.
An ASPEN DM2000, though costing US$65,000, or about Php2.6 million, can help the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) in its rehabilitation and emergency response efforts, particularly in preventing thousands of people from being infected by potentially life-threatening bacteria of contaminated water.