Military integration with local disaster units in Samar, Leyte ongoing for quick aid during calamities

From the Philippine News Agency (Dec 6): Military integration with local disaster units in Samar, Leyte ongoing for quick aid during calamities

Efforts are now ongoing to integrate the Catbalogan-based 8th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army with local disaster risk response units to ensure quick aid should calamities strike its areas of operation.

8th Infantry Division assistant commander Brig. Gen. Cesar Idio in a statement Tuesday said this can be done through more inter-operability exercises with the local and regional disaster risk reduction councils.

“For our part, we are looking forward for more capacity-building programs that we can work together as we prepare for the unknowns of tomorrow,” Idio said.

He said such cooperation is needed considering that Samar and Leyte, the 8th Infantry Division's operational areas, are located in the Philippine "typhoon highway".

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=945986