‘No noise pollution from US aircraft’

CLARK FIELD, Pampanga — Communities around this former US military base and other areas need not worry about noise pollution even if no less than 45 US military aircraft are expected to arrive for military exercises in four sites in Luzon starting April 22.

Jaime Yambao, executive director of the Presidential Commission on the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFACOM), said the US military will observe a policy against flying over populated areas during the conduct of Balikatan 2002 from April 22 to May 6.

"It was a policy proposed by the VFACOM, which the US military accepted last year," he said.

During the "Balance Piston" exercises here last year, local folk complained that noise from US aircraft often startled children from sleep even late at night.

Before the Americans abandoned their air base here, noise from their aircraft was noted to have stunted the growth of locally grown chickens.

Yambao said US aircraft expected to arrive for Balikatan 2002 are six C-130 cargo planes and three UH-160 helicopters from the US Army, six C-130s and one C-30 Hiaring helicopter from the US Air Force, four F-18-D fighter jets, four CH-46-Es, two UH-1Ns, four AH-1Ws, four CH-53Es, four CH-53Ds, three UH-60A helicopters and four KC-130 cargo planes from the US Marines.

About 2,003 American soldiers, mostly from the US Marines, and 2,868 Filipino soldiers will take part in the war games.

Yambao said 822 of the US soldiers will participate in the exercises here and at Crow Valley in Capas, Tarlac, and the rest at Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija and Sangley Point in Ternate, Cavite.

The warship Fort McHenry of the US Navy is also expected to dock in Manila for the naval exercises at Sangley Point, he said. — Ding Cervantes