PANGASINAN – The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Northern Luzon Command (Nolcom) said that coordination was underway to send military reservists to help in relief operations in flood-stricken Cagayan Valley and Isabela.
According to Nolcom Chief Maj. Gen. Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos, Jr., the Reserve Force will be able to contribute to the ongoing relief operations in Cagayan, considering its experience in the aftermath of Yolanda in the Visayas and the Taal Volcano eruption.
Burgos also noted that military reservists were tapped to man numerous Quarantine Control Points when Metro Manila and nearby provinces were placed under quarantine restrictions.
He described the reservists as “the Philippines’ strategic reserve in terms of human resource”.
“By sending them to ground zero, we will have enough manpower in the frontlines as efforts begin to transition to recovery and rehabilitation,” he said.
Burgos disclosed that mobilization of the reservists was already taking place, and that the deployment of Reserve Units from Northern and Central Luzon are expected in a week.
The reservists will then be placed under Joint Task Force Tala, Nolcom’s operating arm in Region 2, which is working in close coordination with the Emergency Operations Center of Cagayan Valley’s Office of Civil Defense, as well as the governors of Cagayan and Isabela through their Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.