Wescom sends ship, troops on humanitarian mission to Davao

From the Philippine News Agency (Feb 14, 2024): Wescom sends ship, troops on humanitarian mission to Davao (By Izza Reynoso)

HUMANITARIAN MISSION. The crew of BRP Davao del Sur loads about 40,000 boxes of food at the Port of Manila for delivery to flash flood-stricken families in Davao del Oro. As of Wednesday (Feb. 14, 2024), the ship is already en route to the calamity area, according to the spokesperson for the Western Command. (Photo courtesy of Wescom Public Information Office)

PUERTO PRINCESA, Palawan – The Western Command (Wescom) has dispatched a ship loaded with personnel and relief goods to provide humanitarian assistance to families displaced by a series of flash floods in Davao de Oro.

Capt. Ariel Joseph Coloma, spokesperson for Wescom, told reporters that the BRP Davao Del Sur (LD602) initially sailed to Manila to pick up about 40,000 boxes of food from the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) head office before journeying south to the calamity area.

"They sailed to Manila yesterday to load the food packs from DSWD, which they will transport to Davao. What we know is that by this time, they're already on their way to Davao," he said.

Also aboard the Navy’s more than 400-foot-long vessel were troops belonging to the Marine Battalion Landing Team 9 (MBLT9), tasked with supporting the humanitarian mission on the ground.

The military spokesman noted that upon completing their mission of mercy, the BRP Davao del Sur and the marines aboard it will quickly resume their duties bolstering external defense operations, particularly in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

"They will help (affected families in Davao) for around two days before they go back to Palawan to resume their task," Coloma added.

He said the deployment of BRP Davao del Sur and MBLT-9 troops underscores Wescom's commitment to aiding relief operations, complementing the efforts of other government agencies, such as the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council and the Philippine Coast Guard.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1218871