The Philippine Air Force (PAF), in collaboration with the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), continues to provide humanitarian assistance in Itbayat, Batanes, on Thursday.
Under the Tactical Operations Wing Northern Luzon (TOWNOL), PAF’s Tactical Operations Group (TOG) 2 utilized one Sokol helicopter to airlift essential relief packs and drinking water to affected communities in the area.
Additionally, PAF ferried DSWD personnel to Itbayat to distribute cash assistance to the impacted communities.
“These coordinated efforts are a testament to the Air Force’s commitment to supporting the national government’s efforts to help affected residents and ensure access to food and clean drinking water during this critical period,” said PAF Spokesperson Colonel Maria Consuelo Castillo.
According to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), two US Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey aircraft transported Foreign Disaster Relief (FDR) supplies provided by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) from Laoag Airport to Batanes.
A US Air Force Dornier 328 aircraft also delivered additional relief items from Manila to the island.
Prior to the delivery of supplies, the Joint US Military Assistance Group (JUSMAG), in collaboration with USAID, coordinated closely with AFP, the local government of Batanes, and the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO).
As of Thursday, the government has already disbursed 88 billion pesos worth of assistance to families affected by Typhoon Julian in Regions 1, 2, and the Cordillera Administrative Region. This assistance is equivalent to support for 65,820 families.
Fifty-eight cities and municipalities across the country have declared a state of calamity due to this typhoon.
Overall, 317,754 individuals have been affected, which is equivalent to 92,138 families.
