The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has deployed troops to assist in rescue and relief operations in areas affected by the powerful earthquake that struck Davao Region on Friday, AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said.
Brawner said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. immediately directed the military to help communities hit by the tremor, which has caused significant damage in parts of Mindanao.
“President Marcos Jr. has given orders for us to help our fellow citizens who may have been affected by the earthquake in the Davao Region,” Brawner said in an interview at Camp Aguinaldo.
“Right away we deployed our troops. First of all, they’re ready to do rescue and retrieval operations, but also they are there to assist our OCD (Office of Civil Defense) in the assessment of the damage that was caused by the earthquake,” he added.
Brawner also said that reserve units are on standby for possible deployment should additional manpower be required. “Our regular forces are not the only ones helping, our reservists as well,” he noted.
The OCD in Davao Region led an aerial inspection and rapid assessment of the affected areas together with the Tactical Operations Group 11 under Eastern Mindanao Command of the AFP. The emergency operations center in the region was also placed under red alert status.
“This allows for faster coordination with local government units and immediate response to any identified needs on the ground,” the OCD-Davao Region said. It has likewise urged the public to stay alert and report any incidents to local disaster risk reduction and management offices.
The AFP chief cited the military’s quick action during recent earthquakes in Cebu and Bohol, where engineering units were among the first to respond. Teams were also sent to Baguio City and La Union following recent tremors in Northern Luzon.
