Philippine Navy, magdeploy ng ’19-ship humanitarian aid-focused flotilla’ sa nasalanta ng Bagyong Odette

KUMIKILOS ngayon ang Philippine Navy (PN) sa pamamagitan ng pagpapadala ng ’19-ship humanitarian aid-focused flotilla’ sa mga lugar na lubhang napinsala ng Bagyong Odette.

“This relief flotilla consists of seven sealift vessels for the transport of relief goods and locally stranded individuals, two patrol ships for command and control, eight other watercraft as general support vessels. Meanwhile, the Presidential Yacht, BRP Ang Pangulo (AC-S25) has been repurposed as a hospital ship,” ayon sa pahayag ng Philippine Fleet sa kanilang Facebook page.

Kabilang sa nakatakdang i-deploy ang BRP Tarlac (LD-601), BRP Bacolod City (LS-550), BRP Antonio Luna (FF-151), BRP Andres Bonifacio (PS-17), BRP Iwak (LC-289), BRP Agta (LC-290) at BRP Ivatan (LC-298) para sa matulungan ang nagpapatuloy na humanitarian assistance and disaster response efforts (HADR) sa Cebu, Palawan, at Northern Mindanao lalo na sa Surigao, Dinagat at Siargao Islands.

“Already in Cebu are BRP Tausug (LC-295), BRP Enrique Jurado (PC-371), BRP Abraham Campo (PC-396), at ACS-700,” ayon nito.

Nakapagbigay na rin ng relief operation ang BRP Gregorio Velasquez (AGR-702), BRP Hilario Ruiz (PC-378) at BRP Rafael Pargas (PC-379) sa Northern Mindanao.

“ACS-25 will join these ships in the Siargao/Dinagat area. While prepositioned in Palawan already are BRP Mangyan (AC-71), BRP Jose Andrad (PC-370), BRP Carlos Albert (PC-375), and BRP Dioscoro Papa (PC-381),” ayon sa post.

Maliban sa mga barko, nakaalerto rin ang apat na naval aircraft ng PN upang magbigay ng aerial survey, agarang pag-rescue, at bilang suporta sa mga lugar na hindi naaabot ng flotilla.

Kabilang sa naval aircraft ang dalawang BN Islander (NV-312 at NV-314), isang Beechcraft King Air (C-90) aircraft (NV-394), at isang ship-based AgustaWestland (AW-109) helicopter (NH-430).

Ang nasabing mga asset ay inilaan ng Philippine Fleet na naka-base sa Cavite City sa ilalim ng mandato ng Rear Admiral Alberto B. Carlos.

“Aid and other carepacks are presently being loaded aboard AC-S25, LC-289, and LC-290. AC-S25 is scheduled to depart tonight, 19 December 2021, while LC-289 and LC-290 will depart tomorrow (Monday) morning,” ayon sa  post.

Pangasiwaan naman ang relief operation ng PN sa Northern Mindanao, Cebu, at Palawan sa kasalukuyang Naval Operating Forces commanders sa lugar.

Kabilang dito sina Commodore Carlos Sabarre ng Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao, Captain Raul Regis ng Naval Forces Central, at Commodore Donn Miraflor ng Naval Forces West.

SMNI NEWS