DAVAO CITY – Like many of the responders, Cpl. Henry Baleña will celebrate Christmas with typhoon Odette survivors in Caraga region.
Baleña, who belongs to the Philippine Navy, is one of over a hundred personnel who joined the newly-activated Joint Task Force Sambisig of the Armed Forces of the Philippines' Eastern Mindanao Command that departed for the typhoon-hit areas to conduct relief and rehabilitation efforts.
The task force is primarily composed of personnel from the Army, Philippine Navy, Philippine Air Force, Medical Corps and Army Engineers.
Aside from from the soldiers under the Eastern Mindanao Command, personnel from the Office of Civil Defense and Philippine Coast Guard also joined the contingent that departed for Surigao City on Wednesday morning.
Baleña admitted that his hometown in Rosario, Agusan del Sur was also partially hit by the onslaught of the typhoon.
"Our town was partially hit by the typhoon but there's not much damage, only some agricultural crops. Most important is that my family is safe," he told Manila Bulletin shortly before their departure on Wednesday morning.
Eastern Mindanao Command spokesperson Maj. Alex Mindalano said the Joint Task Force Sambisig will serve in the typhoon-hit areas until the relief and rehabilitation efforts is completed and the situation is normalized.
"Some personnel are already in the area and there will be shifting of personnel because some will also need a break. So those who left today will be spending their Christmas with the typhoon survivors," Mindalano explained.
He added that the contingent brought at least 10 truckloads of relief aid for the typhoon survivors.
The OCD provided what they call as 'family packs' that contain kitchen utensils, sleeping kit and hygiene kits, the military officer said.
On December 16, Typhoon Odette shredded the provinces of Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Southern Leyte, Bohol, Cebu, Negros and Palawan.
The trail of destruction left hundreds of thousands of people homeless with just 10 days before Christmas.
Like Baleña, Army Pfc. Jay Recarro will also spend his Christmas helping the typhoon survivors.
Recarro, who hails from Tagum City, added that he is also glad to be a part of the contingent because he will also have the opportunity to check his relatives in Surigao City who were also affected by the onslaught of the typhoon.
"We will spend our Christmas in the area but it's okay because that's part of our job. But I will be home for New Year," he said in the vernacular.