Int’l defense forces now focus on providing lifting capabilities

From the Philippine News Agency (Dec 17): Int’l defense forces now focus on providing lifting capabilities

Humanitarian support extended by international defense forces is now concentrated in providing airlifting capability.

Col. Peale Jon L. Bondoc of the 8th Infantry Division (8ID) during Monday’s coordination meeting of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (RDRRMC) said that “there are no more defense forces on the ground.”

The last to leave was the Australian Defense Force (ADF) that ended its recovery mission on Monday.

Its relief and recovery efforts that commenced Nov. 13 benefited Eastern Visayas’ Tacloban City, Ormoc in Leyte and Guiuan, Eastern Samar.

Meanwhile, the Japanese Self Defense Force (JSDF) ended its mission last Dec. 13.

Bondoc said that what was left was the JSDF’s C-130 plane that is based in Cebu or Manila. The airlifting capability can be utilized for transporting aid in remote areas.

The JSDF mission in partnership with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Department of Health (DOH) was focused on relief distribution and epidemic prevention.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=597555