PA acquiring more disaster response equipment

From the Philippine News Agency (Jan 20): PA acquiring more disaster response equipment

With the military playing an increasing role in disaster relief and alleviation efforts, the Philippine Army announced that it is boosting the number of its equipment which can be used in disaster relief operations.

Capt. Anthony Bacus, PA spokesperson, said that the engineering equipment now on the pipeline includes: six units of road rollers; 30 units of dump trucks; 14 units of excavators; eight units of road graders; and 12 units of bulldozers.

He added that once delivered, the equipment will be deployed on strategic areas nationwide.

"This will allow (the PA) a much faster and improved disaster relief strategy," Bacus said.

Delivery is expected within the next two years.

Shortly after the onslaught of super typhoon "Yolanda" in the Visayas last Nov. 8, the PA deployed 155 military vehicles and 4,000 soldiers to help in the humanitarian assistance and disaster response efforts in Tacloban City and other typhoon-affected areas.

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

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=607150