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At least 1,349 individuals and 146 livestock were treated during the recent two-day medical civic action program (MEDCAP) of the RP-US Balikatan 2010 in Barangays Pias, Salcedo, Ilocos Sur and San Jose, Sta, Cruz, Ilocos Sur.

Col. Eduardo L Collado, head of the Balikatan 2010 AFP Joint Civil Military Operation Task and Deputy Brigade Commander of the Army’s 503rd Brigade, said that the RP-US Balikatan Exercises 2010 in Ilocos Sur was purely for the delivery of humanitarian services.

“The presence of the U.S. military servicemen in Ilocos Sur had no other intention but to deliver humanitarian services,” Collado said.

“The humanitarian and civic assistance activities of RPâ€"US Balikatan 2010 in Ilocos Sur was mainly focused on revitalizing the inter-operability of the Philippines and US militaries in post-conflict response through the conduct of disaster rehabilitation and rural development projects in the areas hardly devastated by typhoons and other calamities,” he added.

Dr. Maribeth Tudayan, Salcedo town’s health officer, said, “the RP-US BALIKATAN 2010 Medical and Dental Mission is very timely for the local folks, who had been hit by epidemic especially the young and the old ones.