- Published: 13 November 2013
CAMP GENERAL EMILIO AGUINALDO, Quezon City – Military Engineers
together with the Philippine Army’s 1st Special Forces Battalion have
already begun their road clearing operations in Tacloban to open up
major supply routes and allow for the faster delivery of goods and aid
to victims of Typhoon Yolanda.
The troops arrived in Tacloban in two
batches last Monday and yesterday. Their mission is to aid existing
troops in their Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response (HADR)
operations as well as to provide assistance in road clearing operations,
support on-going evacuations, and assist efforts to restore peace and
order in typhoon-stricken areas. The military is expecting more
responders coming from the Philippine Army in the coming days.
US lends air transportation assets
In aid of ongoing HADR efforts in Tacloban, the United States of America
lent the use of their air transportation assets to allow for the faster
delivery of goods and services of volunteers, as well as evacuation of
survivors.
The United States has deployed two
Osprey aircraft that transported HADR assets and relief goods from
Manila to Mactan. US C-130s in Tacloban brought in HADR assets and
relief goods and helped evacuate survivors out of Tacloban City. There are between 4 to 7 sorties in and out of Tacloban by the US aircraft.
Efforts in Panay Island
In Panay, the provinces of Capiz and
Aklan, and portions of Northern Iloilo and Northern Antique were
severely hit by the super typhoon. Two major supply/logistics hubs were
identified and established by the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division in
Iloilo City and Roxas City.
Since day one, forty-five officers and
800 enlisted personnel from 3ID, PA have been conducting HADR operations
in Panay. Additionally, 250 reservists from the Army, Air Force, and
Navy volunteered their time to assist in the ongoing operations in
Panay.
AFP choppers also brought in the relief
goods into Roxas City from Iloilo City; during that time roads were
still impassable due to felled trees and landslides. When the roads were
cleared the Army used their M35 trucks to keep the flow of goods and
HADR assets moving from Iloilo City to Roxas City. Likewise, two Navy
ships (DF341 and DF352) delivered aid and relief goods to the islands of
Carles and Estancia in Northern Iloilo.
The next day (November 10),
communication centers were quickly established at Estancia in northern
Iloilo, Roxas City in Capiz, Kalibo airport in Aklan, and San Jose in
Antique utilizing military Harris tactical radio and URC 187 to
establish command and control.
Last Monday, November 11, one M35 truck
and one longbed truck full of relief goods delivered to Antique
province; two M35 trucks delivered to Roxas City; and one M35 truck
delivered to Iloilo airport to transport to island communities via
helicopter.
AFP Websites
Links:
PROTECTION AND PROMOTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
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