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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Exercise Balikatan: AFP, US forces break ground for evacuation-ready facility in Davao del Norte

Exercise Balikatan: AFP, US forces break ground for evacuation-ready facility in Davao del Norte

Published Apr 7, 2026 01:35 pm
United States service members take part in the groundbreaking ceremony for a multi-purpose building in Barangay Tibulao, Carmen, Davao del Norte on April 6, 2026. (Photo: Armed Forces of the Philippines)
United States service members take part in the groundbreaking ceremony for a multi-purpose building in Barangay Tibulao, Carmen, Davao del Norte on April 6, 2026. (Photo: Armed Forces of the Philippines)
A remote village in Davao del Norte will soon have an evacuation-ready multi-purpose building after the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and United States military broke ground on the project on Monday, April 6, as part of the “Exercise Balikatan.”
The facility, which will rise in Barangay Tibulao in Carmen town, is designed to host community activities and serve as a shelter during disasters, a recurring need in typhoon-prone Mindanao, according to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
The project is part of the joint US-AFP Engineering Civic Action Program, a Balikatan component that supports humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR). It also aims to boost long-term community development in vulnerable areas.
“Beyond military training, Balikatan strengthens our partnership in serving the people. Projects like this reflect our shared commitment to disaster preparedness and community resilience,” said Major General Alvin Luzon, commander of the 10th Infantry Division (10ID), which has military jurisdiction over the area.
Balikatan, the most prominent military exercise held annually by the AFP and its US counterpart, has since expanded to include civil-military projects which run alongside combat drills and focus on disaster readiness, infrastructure support, and community engagement.
The ceremony brought together units from the Philippine Army and U.S. forces including the 534th Engineer Construction Battalion, 27th Infantry Battalion, and the 1003rd Infantry Brigade.
Local officials from the municipal government of Carmen and Barangay Tibulao also joined the event, along with the 10th Civil-Military Operations Battalion.
A tribal ritual marked the opening of the ceremony where organizers laid a time capsule, a gesture meant to symbolize unity and a shared vision for development.
The AFP said the activity showed its commitment to cooperation and capability-building, and stressed that all Balikatan activities are planned within the bounds of Philippine law and with respect for national sovereignty.
“[The project] underscores the strong cooperation between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the United States in enhancing disaster preparedness and community resilience,” said Col. Xerxes A. Trinidad, chief of the AFP public affairs office.

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Balikatan AFP United States military evacuation-ready facility Davao del Norte
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