The United States (US) has deployed personnel and planes in the Philippines to assist in relief operations in the province of Batanes following the onslaught of Typhoon Julian (Krathon).
According to the Philippine Air Force (PAF), two KC-130J Hercules aircraft from the United States III Marine Expeditionary Force brought personnel and equipment to the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City on Saturday afternoon.
The US aircraft delivered “crucial humanitarian assistance and disaster relief supplies” for the victims of the recent super typhoon, the PAF said in a statement, adding that the mission is part of the US government's ongoing commitment to disaster relief efforts, facilitated through the United States Agency for International Development.
The following essential items are being transported to aid the affected communities:
- 1,000 Department of Social Welfare and Development family food packs
- 1,000 Office of Civil Defense shelter repair kits
- 2,500 International Organization for Migration (IOM) graded tarpaulin sheets
- 1,000 IOM kitchen sets
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. expressed his gratitude to the country’s longstanding ally for its timely assistance.
“We are deeply thankful to the US government for their swift response and unwavering support during this critical time. Their assistance is vital as we work to rebuild and provide for our communities affected by the super typhoon,” he said.
The PAF likewise deployed its C-130 aircraft in two batches of delivery of essential goods in partnership with GMA Kapuso Foundation.
“The Philippine Air Force remains steadfast in its mission to deliver timely and efficient air transport in support of national humanitarian efforts, demonstrating once again its unwavering commitment to serve the Filipino people,” PAF public affairs chief Col. Ma. Consuelo Castillo said in a statement.
Julian headed to Taiwan on Wednesday but reentered the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Thursday, affecting Batanes only.
The relief operations coincided with the four-day joint military exercises on humanitarian assistance and disaster response with the Japan Air Self-Defense Force that will end Sunday.
Being held at Brigadier General Benito N. Ebuen Air Base in Mactan, Cebu, the exercise dubbed “Doshin Bahanihan 2024” is focused on aerial drop operations and rescue missions, designed to prepare both forces for a wide range of emergency scenarios, including typhoons, earthquakes and other natural disasters that frequently affect the region.
In a separate statement Saturday, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said relief operations in Batanes continue with the assistance of the Joint US Military Assistance Group (JUSMAG).
The Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, represented by Lt. Col. Ariel Galimba, and JUSMAG chief Col. Edward Evans met with Batanes Governor Marilou Cayco.
The officials “emphasized the importance of close collaboration with local authorities to streamline logistics and ensure that vital resources reach the most severely impacted areas,” according to AFP Public Affairs chief Col. Xerxes Trinidad. (With reports from Priam Nepomuceno/PNA)
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