TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte (PIA) – The Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) in Eastern Visayas on Thursday, October 24, has deployed a 220-member response team to help victims affected by the onslaught of Severe Tropical Storm Kristine in the Bicol region.
The inter-agency team will take a noble mission of helping typhoon victims in a coordinated disaster relief and rescue operation as Severe Tropical Storm Kristine brought massive flooding in the Bicol region.
The send-off ceremony for the responders, composed of personnel from the Police Regional Office, Bureau of Fire Protection, Philippine Coast Guard, Office of Civil Defense, and Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), was held at Camp Kangleon in Palo, Leyte.
OCD-8 Regional Director Lord Byron Torrecarion, RDRRMC-8 chairperson, said this is the time to return the favor to Bicolanos who also extended help to the victims of Super Typhoon Yolanda nearly 11 years ago.
“Now it is our time to show that we are one with them and we stand together in facing any adversity,” Torrecarion said.
During the send-off ceremony, Police Brigadier General Jay R. Cumigad, regional director of the Police Regional Office 8, underscored that the police officers, who are part of the team, will play a crucial role in the relief and rescue efforts.
“The PNP, as a member agency of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, would like to affirm our mission of extending assistance by mobilizing rescue and relief efforts in the Bicol Region,” Cumigad said.
One of the responders, Fire Officer Kim Briones, who is a member of the BFP-8 Special Rescue Force, expressed his willingness to help in the rescue efforts.
“Yes, kasi natapos na rin ang send-off ceremony at saka na-brief na din yung team naming papunta sa Bicol na operation,” Briones said.
(Yes, because the send-off ceremony is over and our team has been briefed already on the Bicol operation.)
Along with the team are search and rescue assets such as mobile response vehicle, motorcycles, boats, trucks, bus, van, coaster and communication equipment.
According to the OCD-8, the team will provide augmentation support to the identified provinces and areas in need of water rescue, clean water filtration, and transportation.
Additional water assets were also provided by the City Government of Tacloban, municipalities of Catarman, Dulag, and Abuyog, all in Leyte.
The team from Eastern Visayas is the first to respond and send rescuers outside Bicol Region.
A day earlier, the army’s 8th Infantry “Stormtroopers” Division based in Catbalogan City has deployed a total of 23 personnel for Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response (HADR) operations in Bicol region as part of their search and rescue mission.
According to Brig. General Perfecto P. Peñaredondo, acting commander of 8ID, said the deployed soldiers are skilled and trained especially on water search, rescue and relief operations.
“Anytime they can switch because soldiers are also trained for mission defense and one of the mission areas is humanitarian assistance and disaster response, anytime we are ready for that,” Peñaredondo said,” Peñaredondo said. (CBA, PIA Eastern Visayas with reports from OCD-8 and Ronald Roma)
