QUEZON CITY (PIA) — The Philippine Army’s 525th Combat Engineer “Forerunner” Battalion of the Combat Engineer Regiment has declared readiness for response to the impact of Typhoon Pepito (Man-yi) particularly in Cagayan.
Regarded as the Army’s primary Disaster Response Unit (DRU), the batallion has activated a 20-member rescue team which is currently on standby alert at the Office of Civil Defense Region 2 in Tuguegarao City.
Batallion Commanding Officer, Lt. Col. Michael Rey Bautista, said, “Our personnel stand ready to serve with dedication, ensuring the safety of our communities amid the challenges posed by this impending typhoon.”
Bautista also reported that on Nov. 13, they rescued 42 individuals who were stranded in the massive flooding caused by Typhoon Nika (Toraji) in Barangay Bauan East, Solana, Cagayan.
He added that on Nov. 12, the batallion deployed two light Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) Teams composed of highly-trained personnel to assist communities in Cagayan as Typhoon Ofel approaches.
The teams were stationed in Solana and Tuguegarao City, respectively, working closely with the Philippine National Police (PNP), Office of Civil Defense (OCD), and Barangay Officials, he noted.
Bautista said the light USAR teams are actively engaged in preemptive evacuation operations to protect residents in flood-prone areas, citing that their coordinated efforts successfully facilitated the evacuation of 23 families from Solana, Cagayan to designated evacuation centers, ensuring their safety ahead of the typhoon’s landfall.
“These operations highlight the commitment of our USAR teams to safeguard the lives and well-being of Filipinos, especially during times of crisis,” he added.
Bautista emphasized, “The Philippine Army leadership assures the Filipino people of the Army’s Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response (HADR) teams’ operational readiness and commitment to help save calamity-afflicted families and provide aid to communities affected by the recent successive storms that have affected most of Luzon.” (PIA DMD)
