PACANGEL team restores water to school

by Senior Master Sgt. J.C. Woodring
Operation Pacific Angel-Philippines Public Affairs

3/11/2013 - DAUIN, Philippines – A team of Operation Pacific Angel-Philippines civil engineers installed a water tower at an elementary school here March 7.

Before the tower was installed, the school received their water from nearby residents, said Judith Cofino, a teacher at Tugawe Elementary School.

“When they (the civil engineers) visited in December, they said that they couldn’t make promises, and there it is,” she said while pointing to the shiny tank on top of the tower and smiling from ear to ear. “We are very grateful.”

Now that the tower is operational, the residents come to the school for water because the pressure is better than existing facilities. The engineers noticed and added showers to the bathrooms.

“The whole town wants to come to the school to shower,” said U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Chad Gerrits, an engineer from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, who worked on the last-minute install. “It was wild!”

The team also painted the school’s restrooms and wash troughs, which serve 242 students.

“I came to the Philippines with last year’s PACANGEL team, and I jumped at the chance to go again this year,” said Senior Airman Taylor Vondrasek, an engineer from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. “Seeing the difference we are making is incredible. They are so appreciative of what we are doing.”

The school is one of three work sites the civil engineers improved during the mission.