A Snappy Salute to our Pilots!

Call them “Epoy,” with a sneer.  Tell them they have the most laughable helicopters in the world (certainly not because our government cannot afford to buy the most sophisticated ones, but because funds meant for our armed forces’ modernization plans have been misused for decades).

But the Filipino military pilots have become legendary for their flying skills especially as they snake along narrow valleys  and maneuver somewhere in the hinterlands whether during combat  operations or disaster relief missions.   Their  “A1″ ingenuity in making the most out of their Vietnam War vintage UH–1H (Huey) helicopters is also laudable.

During the recent typhoon disasters, they have provided countless logistical support to chiefly civilian relief efforts.  In Benguet, the ever–proactive Governor Nestor Fongwan has been coordinating with the military on the delivery of sacks of rice and other goods needed by hundreds of typhoon victims in the province.

Below are photos of two of our military helicopters taken on 20 October 2009 at the Benguet State University (BSU) grounds.