Phl team starts rescue, relief mission in Turkey
MANILA — The Philippines’ inter-agency contingent to Turkey is set to start their mission of helping in the search and rescue operations and in providing relief assistance to survivors of the powerful earthquake that hit the country, the Office of Civil Defense said Friday.
The 82-member team is composed of personnel from the Philippine Air Force, Philippine Army, Metro Manila Development Authority, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, Department of Health and OCD. They arrived on Thursday.
Members of the disaster response team are expected to begin their mission, once settled, upon arrival in Adiyaman in southeastern Turkey.
According to the OCD, the government was able to deploy a response team within 48 hours, adhering to international standards.
A few members of the contingent were left behind due to the lack of required travel documents, but the OCD assured that this will not affect the overall integrity and capability of the response team.
“The Philippine Contingent remains dedicated, and ready for their mission to help the People of Turkey and all the victims of this
tragic earthquake, despite of all the challenges they met since they left the Philippines and the harsh and extreme weather they will experience in Turkey,” OCD Administrator Ariel Nepomuceno said
The DOH, for its part, said its personnel can provide services such as public and medical care, water sanitation, nutrition in emergencies and mental and psychosocial support.
The DOH team also brought supplies and equipment for emergency care and consultations as well as a tent to house the medical team.
The magnitude 7.8-earthquake has so far killed over 21,000 people in Turkey and Syria, including two Filipinos, and flattened thousands of buildings. Experts fear the number will continue to rise sharply. —