USS Cowpens gives gifts to indigent children in Bataan

 DINALUPIHAN, Bataan- Officers and men of the Ticonderoga guided-missile cruiser USS Cowpens a day before Christmas distributed gifts to indigent children and held a friendly basketball match with local players in Dinalupihan, Bataan.

The cruiser arrived at the Alava Pier in the Subic Bay Freeport Monday afternoon after more than two weeks of humanitarian operation in Tacloban, Leyte in the aftermath of killer typhoon Yolanda. 

Some 40 of the 340 ship crews presented toys, some food items, ball for basketball and other present to the children at the Dinalupihan Civic Center.

Not only the kids enjoyed the gift-giving but even the American sailors when the children kissed their hands after receiving the present.

“Thank you to the officers and men of USS Cowpens, especially to our townmate Jeruel Simsuangco, for making the Christmas of children a happy one,” Dinalupihan Mayor Gila Garcia said.

Simsuangco is senior chief of the American cruiser who has been with the US Navy for 17 years. He is from barangay Burgos in Dinalupihan.

“Never in my wildest dreams that I’ll be here with my ship,” he said.  Simsuangco has visited his town only once in the last 20 years he was away.

Former Dinalupihan Councilor Noli Soriano, event coordinator, said the ship crew decided to spend their holiday in the former American Naval Base, now the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, after serving in Leyte.

“Habang naka-holiday sila, naisip ng mga tauhan ng barko sa pamamag-itan ng ating kababayang si Simsuangco na mamigay ng Pamasko sa mga bata at tuloy makipagkuwentuhan sa mga taga-Dinalupihan,” Soriano said.

Cruiser’s Command Master Chief Gabriel Keeton said being in Dinalupihan afford them a rare chance to see more parts of the Philippines after two weeks of stay in Tacloban and Leyte Province.

“Our ship is the first American ship and the last ship in Tacloban,” the master chief said. Keeton said they were sent to Tacloban as part of the U.S aid mission after Super typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) struck.

C. Sheerin, a lady officer, said there are 40 officers and 300 men in the cruiser with 20 of them Filipinos.

“We are happy to be here after ‘Operation Damayan’ in Tacloban,” she said.