Decision to transfer some of the evacuees at Villamor Air Base done for safety reasons --AFP

From the Philippine News Agency (Nov 21): Decision to transfer some of the evacuees at Villamor Air Base done for safety reasons --AFP

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said on Thursday that the decision to transfer some of the Tacloban City evacuees staying at Villamor Air Base in Pasay City was done to decongest the facility so that it can accommodate more aircraft whose mission is to deliver relief goods and rescue personnel to provinces battered by typhoon "Yolanda" in the Visayas.

Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala, AFP Public Affairs Office chief, said the move was also done to prevent possible accidents involving evacuees and rescue aircraft.

The evacuees will be transferred to the AFP headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City for the moment. They will be housed near the National Capital Region Command complex near Gate 6.

"Villamor Air Base is getting crowded and the recommendation is to transfer some of the evacuees to decongest the facility so that it can accommodate more aircraft and more air operations," Zagala stressed.

He said that the decision was reached by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council and the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Zagala added that they have more than enough personnel to secure the evacuees and the volunteers caring for them. He only requested that volunteers bring a valid ID card when entering Camp Aguinaldo.

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