Balikatan 2010 in Ilocos
Correct practice makes perfect. This holds true in photography as well. With digital photography, learning the skills is so much easier. But, one must take into consideration the proper use of photographic equipment when practicing. Should one neglect to study his camera and other equipment’s functions and rely on fixing their photo on the computer instead, I dare say they are not advancing in photography. Rather, they are merely getting better at post-processing.
Once you have mastered your equipment, you must not hesitate to make pictures in order to develop your craft. That is why I took on the challenge of documenting the recently concluded RP-US Balikatan. Both United States and Republic of the Philippines Armed Forces were in Ilocos Sur from February to March to conduct humanitarian and civic assistance programs. It was another opportunity for me to learn my camera’s limits as well as to gauge my skills in photojournalism.
The main challenge for this series was to still make interesting photos out of a usually mundane activity. At the onset, I had in mind the words of Pulitzer Prize-winning war photographer Karsten Thielker, who spoke in a photojournalism forum in Ateneo de Manila University last year. He said the best photographers are not necessarily war photographers but those who can “work strong images in peace time.”
I hope you like this slideshow of photographs I made during my visit to three Balikatan 2010 Medical Civic Action Projects (MEDCAP) in Sinait, Ilocos Sur.
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soundtrack: "Never Let You Fall" by Trench Town Oddities
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All photos are Copyright © 2010 Alaric Yanos. Unauthorized use is punishable by law.
CAPTIONS:
(for photos captured March 6 at the MEDCAP in barangay Baracbac, Sinait, Ilocos Sur)
Soldiers from both the US and Philippine Army chat up an elderly woman who had her medical checkup during a Medical Civic Action Project (MEDCAP) held in barangay Baracbac in Sinait, Ilocos Sur as part of R.P.-U.S. Exercise Balikatan 2010.
Patients of the Balikatan 2010 MEDCAP get wristbands that go thru a scanner which aids the facilitators in hastening the registration and checkup process of the patients.
TSgt. Constantino de Peralta, (RES) P.A., 102nd CDC assists a school teacher in washing the dishes during a MEDCAP held in barangay Baracbac, Sinait, Ilocos Sur.
U.S. Army 1LT. Janna Gaddy studies a traditional Filipino water well and finds it to be a “clever system.”
Sgt. Rogelio Malasig, P.A. 5th CMO assists in the optometry services of the Balikatan 2010 MEDCAP held in Baracbac, Sinait, Ilocos Sur.
U.S. Marines LCpl. Ian Pearson demonstrates to Filipino soldiers how a “Meal, Ready-to-Eat” U.S. Military field ration is prepared
(for photos captured March 9 at the MEDCAP in Teppeng Elementary School, Sinait, Ilocos Sur)
Soldiers from the Balikatan 2010 interview a resident of barangay Teppeng in Sinait, Ilocos Sur on what he thinks of the ongoing MEDCAP and Engineering Civic Action Programs (ENCAP). The man said they also need livelihood training, which the Balikatan doesn’t offer yet.
U.S. Army soldiers chanced upon a group of men slaughtering a goat by the road in Sinait, Ilocos Sur.
A U.S. Army soldier finds time while in barangay Teppeng, Sinait, Ilocos Sur to help a fisherman fix an air compressor used in diving.
Soldiers from the Naval Mobile Construction Battalion ONE (NMCB1) of the United States Navy are surrounded by residents of barangay Teppeng, Sinait, Ilocos Sur who are waiting to be admitted to the MEDCAP being held there as part of Balikatan 2010. The Teppeng Elementary School is also the beneficiary of a two-room classroom being constructed by NMCB1 and the 2nd Naval Mobile Construction Battalion of the Philippine Navy.
Soldiers from both the United States and Philippine Navy install the ceiling on a two-room classroom being built in Teppeng Elementary School in Sinait, Ilocos Sur.
Soldiers from both the United States and Philippine Navy put finishing touches on a two-room classroom being built in Teppeng Elementary School in Sinait, Ilocos Sur.
(for photos captured March 11 at the MEDCAP in Quimmalogong, Sinait, Ilocos Sur)
A Filipino soldier and a clown pump up the crowd during “Children’s Day” held in conjunction with the Balikatan 2010 MEDCAP in barangay Quimmallogong, Sinait, Ilocos Sur.
A US soldier tries to convince a boy to get circumcised at the Balikatan 2010 MEDCAP in barangay Quimmallogong, Sinait, Ilocos Sur.
Two army officers, from the US and Philippine Armed Forces meet and greet the parents and children waiting for their turn to get a checkup at the Pediatric department during the Balikatan 2010 MEDCAP held in barangay Quimmallogong in Sinait, Ilocos Sur.
A 95-year-old woman gets a lift from two Philippine Army soldiers as she visits the Balikatan 2010 MEDCAP in order to get a health and eye checkup.
A cartload of ice cream was bought by the Philippine Army to share with children during the Balikatan 2010 MEDCAP held in barangay Quimmallogong in Sinait, Ilocos Sur.
Each child who attended the Children’s Day in Quimallogong, Sinait, Ilocos Sur get free ice cream, courtesy of the AFP.
U.S. Army Capt. Campagna, who is also a pediatrician, gets high fives from children waiting in line for their free ice cream in a cone.
Soldiers from the U.S. Army and Philippine Army Veterinary Corps were also present during the Balikatan 2010. They visited the neighborhood around ongoing MEDCAP in Ilocos Sur and de-wormed and administered vitamins to livestock and household pets.
The Balikatan 2010 MEDCAP’ pharmacy was well stocked and manned, hence, patients kept pouring in even until late in the afternoon.
(location: Teppeng E.S.)
School children of Teppeng Elementary in Sinait, Ilocos Sur don’t mind the parked truck in their school as this is being used by US and Philippine Navy forces who are building a two-room classroom there as part of Balikatan 2010.
U.S. Navy PO1 Edwin Ortiz is greeted by school children of Teppeng Elementary. Both U.S. and Philippine Navy Construction Battalion sent its forces to Ilocos Sur to build classrooms, a health center and flood control facilities as part of the Engineering Civil Action Projects of the Balikatan 2010.
(BK 10 Closing, Teppeng E.S.)
Schoolchildren of Teppeng Elementary in Sinait, Ilocos Sur take a snapshot of U.S. and Philippine Army soldiers who constructed a two-room classroom in their school as part of Balikatan 2010.
Children in Teppeng Elementary School in Sinait, Ilocos Sur play with a U.S. Army soldier on the closing program of the RP-US Exercise Balikatan 2010.
A U.S. Navy soldier takes a break and play with spiders dueling on a stick, a game he learned from children in Teppeng Elementary School in Sinait, Ilocos Sur while he and his fellow U.S. and Philippine Navy construction battalion forces were building a two-room classroom as part of the RP-US Exercise Balikatan 2010 ENCAP.
U.S. Embassy in Manila Charge de Affairs Leslie Bassett was among the distinguished guests at the Balikatan 2010 closing program held in Teppeng Elementary School in Sinait, Ilocos Sur. With her at the stage are (sitted, left to right): U.S. Marine Corps Brig. Gen. William Faulkner, U.S. exercise director for Balikatan 10 and Sagip 10; Provincial Government of Ilocos Sur Board Member Orlino Tesoro; Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Delfin Bangit; and AFP Rear Adm. Ramon P. Espera, R.P. exercise director for Balikatan 10 and Sagip 10.
Soldiers wait to lead the crowd in prayer during the Balikatan 2010 closing program for various humanitarian projects in Ilocos Sur.
The new two-room classroom, complete with chairs and school supplies from U.S. Aid, is formally opened and turned-over to the Teppeng Elementary School Administration.
Once you have mastered your equipment, you must not hesitate to make pictures in order to develop your craft. That is why I took on the challenge of documenting the recently concluded RP-US Balikatan. Both United States and Republic of the Philippines Armed Forces were in Ilocos Sur from February to March to conduct humanitarian and civic assistance programs. It was another opportunity for me to learn my camera’s limits as well as to gauge my skills in photojournalism.
The main challenge for this series was to still make interesting photos out of a usually mundane activity. At the onset, I had in mind the words of Pulitzer Prize-winning war photographer Karsten Thielker, who spoke in a photojournalism forum in Ateneo de Manila University last year. He said the best photographers are not necessarily war photographers but those who can “work strong images in peace time.”
I hope you like this slideshow of photographs I made during my visit to three Balikatan 2010 Medical Civic Action Projects (MEDCAP) in Sinait, Ilocos Sur.
The slideshow and captions for each photo can be seen after the jump.
--
soundtrack: "Never Let You Fall" by Trench Town Oddities
--
All photos are Copyright © 2010 Alaric Yanos. Unauthorized use is punishable by law.
CAPTIONS:
(for photos captured March 6 at the MEDCAP in barangay Baracbac, Sinait, Ilocos Sur)
Soldiers from both the US and Philippine Army chat up an elderly woman who had her medical checkup during a Medical Civic Action Project (MEDCAP) held in barangay Baracbac in Sinait, Ilocos Sur as part of R.P.-U.S. Exercise Balikatan 2010.
Patients of the Balikatan 2010 MEDCAP get wristbands that go thru a scanner which aids the facilitators in hastening the registration and checkup process of the patients.
TSgt. Constantino de Peralta, (RES) P.A., 102nd CDC assists a school teacher in washing the dishes during a MEDCAP held in barangay Baracbac, Sinait, Ilocos Sur.
U.S. Army 1LT. Janna Gaddy studies a traditional Filipino water well and finds it to be a “clever system.”
Sgt. Rogelio Malasig, P.A. 5th CMO assists in the optometry services of the Balikatan 2010 MEDCAP held in Baracbac, Sinait, Ilocos Sur.
U.S. Marines LCpl. Ian Pearson demonstrates to Filipino soldiers how a “Meal, Ready-to-Eat” U.S. Military field ration is prepared
(for photos captured March 9 at the MEDCAP in Teppeng Elementary School, Sinait, Ilocos Sur)
Soldiers from the Balikatan 2010 interview a resident of barangay Teppeng in Sinait, Ilocos Sur on what he thinks of the ongoing MEDCAP and Engineering Civic Action Programs (ENCAP). The man said they also need livelihood training, which the Balikatan doesn’t offer yet.
U.S. Army soldiers chanced upon a group of men slaughtering a goat by the road in Sinait, Ilocos Sur.
A U.S. Army soldier finds time while in barangay Teppeng, Sinait, Ilocos Sur to help a fisherman fix an air compressor used in diving.
Soldiers from the Naval Mobile Construction Battalion ONE (NMCB1) of the United States Navy are surrounded by residents of barangay Teppeng, Sinait, Ilocos Sur who are waiting to be admitted to the MEDCAP being held there as part of Balikatan 2010. The Teppeng Elementary School is also the beneficiary of a two-room classroom being constructed by NMCB1 and the 2nd Naval Mobile Construction Battalion of the Philippine Navy.
Soldiers from both the United States and Philippine Navy install the ceiling on a two-room classroom being built in Teppeng Elementary School in Sinait, Ilocos Sur.
Soldiers from both the United States and Philippine Navy put finishing touches on a two-room classroom being built in Teppeng Elementary School in Sinait, Ilocos Sur.
(for photos captured March 11 at the MEDCAP in Quimmalogong, Sinait, Ilocos Sur)
A Filipino soldier and a clown pump up the crowd during “Children’s Day” held in conjunction with the Balikatan 2010 MEDCAP in barangay Quimmallogong, Sinait, Ilocos Sur.
A US soldier tries to convince a boy to get circumcised at the Balikatan 2010 MEDCAP in barangay Quimmallogong, Sinait, Ilocos Sur.
Two army officers, from the US and Philippine Armed Forces meet and greet the parents and children waiting for their turn to get a checkup at the Pediatric department during the Balikatan 2010 MEDCAP held in barangay Quimmallogong in Sinait, Ilocos Sur.
A 95-year-old woman gets a lift from two Philippine Army soldiers as she visits the Balikatan 2010 MEDCAP in order to get a health and eye checkup.
A cartload of ice cream was bought by the Philippine Army to share with children during the Balikatan 2010 MEDCAP held in barangay Quimmallogong in Sinait, Ilocos Sur.
Each child who attended the Children’s Day in Quimallogong, Sinait, Ilocos Sur get free ice cream, courtesy of the AFP.
U.S. Army Capt. Campagna, who is also a pediatrician, gets high fives from children waiting in line for their free ice cream in a cone.
Soldiers from the U.S. Army and Philippine Army Veterinary Corps were also present during the Balikatan 2010. They visited the neighborhood around ongoing MEDCAP in Ilocos Sur and de-wormed and administered vitamins to livestock and household pets.
The Balikatan 2010 MEDCAP’ pharmacy was well stocked and manned, hence, patients kept pouring in even until late in the afternoon.
(location: Teppeng E.S.)
School children of Teppeng Elementary in Sinait, Ilocos Sur don’t mind the parked truck in their school as this is being used by US and Philippine Navy forces who are building a two-room classroom there as part of Balikatan 2010.
U.S. Navy PO1 Edwin Ortiz is greeted by school children of Teppeng Elementary. Both U.S. and Philippine Navy Construction Battalion sent its forces to Ilocos Sur to build classrooms, a health center and flood control facilities as part of the Engineering Civil Action Projects of the Balikatan 2010.
(BK 10 Closing, Teppeng E.S.)
Schoolchildren of Teppeng Elementary in Sinait, Ilocos Sur take a snapshot of U.S. and Philippine Army soldiers who constructed a two-room classroom in their school as part of Balikatan 2010.
Children in Teppeng Elementary School in Sinait, Ilocos Sur play with a U.S. Army soldier on the closing program of the RP-US Exercise Balikatan 2010.
A U.S. Navy soldier takes a break and play with spiders dueling on a stick, a game he learned from children in Teppeng Elementary School in Sinait, Ilocos Sur while he and his fellow U.S. and Philippine Navy construction battalion forces were building a two-room classroom as part of the RP-US Exercise Balikatan 2010 ENCAP.
U.S. Embassy in Manila Charge de Affairs Leslie Bassett was among the distinguished guests at the Balikatan 2010 closing program held in Teppeng Elementary School in Sinait, Ilocos Sur. With her at the stage are (sitted, left to right): U.S. Marine Corps Brig. Gen. William Faulkner, U.S. exercise director for Balikatan 10 and Sagip 10; Provincial Government of Ilocos Sur Board Member Orlino Tesoro; Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Delfin Bangit; and AFP Rear Adm. Ramon P. Espera, R.P. exercise director for Balikatan 10 and Sagip 10.
Soldiers wait to lead the crowd in prayer during the Balikatan 2010 closing program for various humanitarian projects in Ilocos Sur.
The new two-room classroom, complete with chairs and school supplies from U.S. Aid, is formally opened and turned-over to the Teppeng Elementary School Administration.
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