(YEARENDER) Philippine Army: One of the first responders in 'Yolanda' disaster

From the Philippine News Agency (Dec 18): (YEARENDER) Philippine Army: One of the first responders in 'Yolanda' disaster

Aside from its usual national security role, the Philippine Army was among the first responders or agencies that gave prompt assistance to the people of Tacloban City, Leyte and other parts of the Visayas who were severely affected by the onslaught of super typhoon "Yolanda" last Nov. 8.

According to Capt. Anthony Bacus, Army spokesperson, the PA deployed 155 military vehicles and 4,000 soldiers to render humanitarian assistance and disaster response efforts in Tacloban and other typhoon-affected areas.

He said that major units coming from the 10th and 4th Infantry Divisions based in Mindanao sent battalions of carpenter-soldiers to help rebuild schools, hospitals and other government buildings severely damaged by the super typhoon.

Bacus added that water search and rescue (WASAR)– capable and collapsed structure search and rescue (CSSR)– capable teams from the 525th Engineering Battalion were also deployed to Tacloban.

Troopers from the 48th Infantry Battalion, 7th Infantry Division; 80th Infantry Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division and the 1st Special Forces Battalion were also sent as augmentation forces.

The PA spokesperson said that medical teams from the Army General Hospital had also been deployed, as well as two squads from the Civil Military Operations with their loud speakers and communication electronics and information assets.

Aside from these units, a Philippine Army Relief Center was established at the PA Wellness Center (Army Gym in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City) with Civic-Military Operations Group as the unit responsible for the collection and repacking of relief items.

Besides the humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations, the PA also conducted "Operation Linis/Coastal Clean-Up" and tree planting activities with full multi-sectoral participation.

Aside from humanitarian missions, the PA also demonstrated its capability of defending the country against aggression when it repelled rouge Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) fighters who attacked and occupied parts of Zamboanga City last September.

Fifteen Army soldiers, including three officers, died while defending and liberating Zamboanga City from this unprovoked assault.

"Though the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the PA in particular, successfully performed its mandate, it had to bear the loss caused by the death of these brave warriors. After almost three weeks of fighting, the rogue MNLF fighters under Nur Misuari surrendered. The calibrated response done by the Army to protect the non-combatants which further led to the rescue of 195 hostages was considered as one of the most successful rescue missions in (its) history," Bacus said.

During the year 2013, Army engineers also completed various infrastructure and development projects in different parts of the country.

"Both Headquarters Philippine Army and major subordinate units also continued to pursue various environmental protection operations as a regular part of their current missions. There were also tree planting activities, anti-illegal logging efforts, anti-illegal fishing drives, and environmental protection projects," Bacus stressed.

A number of bilateral activities were facilitated since January, notable of which were the conduct of the United States-Philippines "Balikatan 2013," Planning Conferences/Site Surveys/Meetings/Visits for the AFP-hosted 16th Malaysian-Philippine Military Cooperation Working Group, and Training Activity Land Malaysia-Philippines.

PA personnel were also deployed in different mission areas either as part of the United Nations Peacekeeping contingent or as UN peacekeeping staff and military observers at UN outposts in Ivory Coast, East Timor, Haiti, India/Pakistan, Liberia, South Sudan and Syria.

On Nov. 29, the PA sent off the 7th Philippine Contingent to Golan Heights composed of 336 Army personnel.

With the conduct of successful operations, the Army was able to weaken and decrease the manpower of the New People's Army (NPA) to an estimated 4,000 in 2012.

To date, 29 provinces were declared free from communist influence, with three more provinces to be turned over to the local government units within the year.

Army units also isolated the Abu Sayyaf Group’s (ASG) area of operation. Its armed strength also declined with the confiscation of many firearms of the bandit group.

There was also a decrease in violent activities perpetrated by the ASG because of the intensified conduct of military operations by government forces.

Meanwhile, the signing of the Framework Agreement of the Bangsamoro is considered as one of the major breakthroughs for the Government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (GPH-MILF) peace panels after 15 years of negotiating peace.

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