Reuters has published a report that includes a captioned slideshow showing delivery of AID by US Military to Balangiga, Eastern Samar. There is no mention of delivery to any of the adjoining coastal towns of Eastern Samar. No reports yet of US military delivering aid to Lawaan, which is adjacent to Balangiga (and is our home municipality)….
Here are the relevant slides and here is the story link.
UPDATE 1
Courtesy of Bob Couttie, we found a U.S. Navy picture indicating a helicopter drop in Giporlos (well, the helicopter is flying over Giporlos, but we think it stopped.
UPDATE 2
According to Rommel Llevado, a resident of Guinob-an, a barangay of Lawaan, the residents of Guinob-an are unaware of any US Military deliveries to Lawaan. As we were talking to Rommel at 5:42 PST (8:42 AM in the PHilippines) a helicopter was making a delivery in Marabut.
Marcos Abanador
November 18, 2013 at 9:26 amEven if they will not return the balangiga bells we don’t care as long as they are willing always to help the balangiga People at any necessary needs.
Michael D. Sellers
November 18, 2013 at 9:52 amMarcos … I’m guessing your are a descendant of Valeriano Abanador, the police chief in 1901 and the one who signaled the start of the uprising. Where are you living today? I would love to do a story on the bells, the uprising, and the feeling in Balangiga today about it all as everyone works through the typhoon situation. I don’t know if you saw this one: http://www.michaeldsellers.com/blog/2013/11/09/few-americans-realize-that-the-us-has-deep-historical-connections-to-typhoon-ravaged-philippine-islands-of-leyte-samar/ Pls let me know — leave a comment or email me at michaeldsellers@gmail.com
Patrick
November 18, 2013 at 7:36 amU.S. Army Rangers delivering aid in Balangiga, maybe its time for them to also return the Bells of Balangiga.
Michael D. Sellers
November 18, 2013 at 8:02 amWouldn’t that be nice.