Ompong responders feted

FIFTY-one individuals from the Philippinre National Police and other agencies who helped in the 12 day search, rescue and retrieval operations; clearing and relief operations brought by Super Typhoon Ompong were awarded during the Monday flag raising ceremony at the Police Regional Office – Cordillera headquarters, Camp Major Bado Dangwa, La Trinidad, Benguet.

Itogon Mayor Victorio Tongalog Palangdan who was the guest of honor and speaker was awarded the Medalya ng Pagtulong sa Nasalanta together with Benguet Provincial Police director Senior Superintendent Lyndon Mencio, Baguio City Police Office city director S/Supt. Ramil Saculles, Regional Mobil Force Brigade 15 commander Supt. Mark Pespes, Chief Regional Health Service Cordillera Supt Estella Umali, Chief Inspector Marilyn Lopez; C/Insp Ronnie Albino, and Senior Inspector Heherson Zambale, Itogon Municipal Police Station chief.

PRO – COR also acknowledged the full support and assistance of the different groups and organizations headed by Lieutenant Colonel Narciso Nabulneg Jr. of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Major Rafael Porras Jr, officer – in – charge of the Search, Rescue and Retrieval Team of the Tactical Operations Wing Northern Luzon; Major Mark Anthony Ruelos, Philippine Military Academy -Disaster Response Task Group and PMA K9; Lieutenant Colonel Jackray Mososmos, Philippine Air Force; Chief Inspector Ramel Borja, Bureau of Fire Protection - CAR; S/Supt. QJ Tanqueroljico, Bureau of Fire Protection, Volunteer Jubelom K9; Captain Normando Reyes, acting commander, Philippine Coast Guard; and Supt. Mary Ann Tresmanio of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology CAR.

Award was also presented to the different civilians including 911 On-Call; barangay officials of Loacan, Virac and Ucab, Banaue Rescue 3601, Puwok Clan, CDRRMO Mabalacat, Pampanga, UP Metro Manila Development

Authority Vanguard K9, Humedica/Philrads, NBI-CAR, PDRRMONueva Ecija, Esmerald Scale Miners Association, Philex Mining Corporation, Baguio Emergency Medical Service, Mines and Geoscience Bureau, Itogon Suyoc Resources Inc (ISRI), Rufina Bacoco-Oloan – Onongen Group, Baguio’s Finest Security Agency, Benguet Corp., Barangay Fort Del Pilar and Loacan BDRRMC; Loacan Itogon Pocket Miners Association (LIPMA), Lucnab volunteers, Antamok Loacan Northwall Miners Association (ALMA), BFP Volunteer Benguet, and Kibungan, Benguet.

Palangdan thanked all the people who help during the onslaught of Super Typhoon “Ompong” in Cordillera.

PRO - COR regional director Chief Supt. Rolando Nana also urged the police to sustain, revitalized and strengthen the level of partnership and cooperation with other local government units and community and provide excellent services and protection to the public whom they have sworn to serve and protect.

Photo by JJ Landingin BIG TANGO. In the parlance of radio lingo, the Police Regional Office – Cordillera (PRO-COR) and Itogon Mayor Victorio Palangdan express their gratitude for the selfless heroism of volunteers and uniformed personnel alike in the call to save a much life as they can during the onslaught of Typhoon Ompang last month. The Municipality Itogon was hardest hit in the country with 100 deaths and scores of missing.