Major General Jeffrey Delgado, deputy commander of Joint Task Force Yolanda, shakes hands with US Navy Rear Admiral Hugh Wetherald, Joint Force Maritime Component Commander for Joint Task Force 505, to signify the transfer of responsibility for total coordination of maritime forces in support of super typhoon 'Yolanda' response to the Armed Forces of the Philippines. (US Marine Corps photo by CWO3 Jonathan C. Knauth)
The command and control of air and maritime assets under “Oplan Damayan,” the international military relief and rehabilitation in areas struck by super typhoon “Yolanda,” has been turned over to the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
The Air Coordination Component Element of Joint Task Force 505, Damayan’s command and control center, was turned over to the Philippine Air Force, PAF spokesman Col. Miguel Ernesto Okol said Tuesday. It was formerly led by US Brigadier General James Hecker.
The maritime component, on the other hand, was turned over by US Rear Admiral Hugh Wetherland to Major General Jeffrey Delgado, deputy commander of the AFP’s Joint Task Force Yolanda.
JTF-505 was formed on November 16 to assist the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade during the initial stage of relief operations.
Okol said the last shipment of USAID delivered by a US Air Force C-130H to Tacloban City was made on November 23.
The PAF is now coordinating its efforts with the Joint Force Maritime Component Commander.
“The ACCE has met all air coordination requirements and assistance benchmarks set by the Philippine government and the JTF. The PAF is thankful for their support during the initial and surge response phases, but we are confident that their assistance is no longer required,” PAF chief Lieutenant General Lauro Catalino dela Cruz said in a statement.
JTF-505’s air component conducted more than 1,100 sorties, delivering over 2,000 tons of relief supplies to date.
It also evacuated more than 20,100 people from affected areas and delivered more than 2,000 relief workers to Tacloban.
This is apart from 698 air sorties and 49 naval sorties by the Philippine military from November 9 to 20.
Over 11 million pounds of relief goods were also ferried by AFP air and naval assets, and 135 trucks of relief goods transported by ground assets in Leyte, Ormoc, Guiuan, Borongan, Samar, Camotes, Bantayan, Cebu, Tagbilaran, Roxas, Aklan, Iloilo, Palawan, Masbate, and Mindoro as of November 20.
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/75637/afp-takes-over-international-miltary-air-naval-efforts
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