The Philippine Air Force (PAF) utilized two C-295 medium lift aircraft to deliver 500 boxes of relief goods to victims of flood due to bad weather in Surigao del Sur and 100 units of wheelchair in Capiz on Tuesday, Jan. 17.
Col. Ma. Consuelo Castillo, PAF spokesperson, said the 220th Airlift Wing coordinated with the PAF Civil Military Operations Operations Group (CMOG) to bring the relief assistance from the Office of the Vice President to residents in Tandag, Surigao del Sur in Caraga (Region 13).
As of Wednesday, Jan. 18, data from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) showed a total of 12,383 families or 43,135 individuals were affected by the combined effects of low pressure area (LPA), northeast monsoon (amihan) and shearline in Caraga.
There were also 765 families composed of 3,243 individuals who were staying in 22 evacuation centers in Caraga.
Nationwide, the NDRRMC said 30 people have already died due to bad weather that has been affecting the country since Jan. 2.
The damage to agriculture has already reached P374 million while infrastructure loss was pegged at PP182 million.
Meanwhile, the PAF also partnered with the Office of the Assistant Chief of Air Staff for Civil Military Operations and Far Eastern University (FEU) to transport the wheelchairs in Roxas City, Capiz as part of their third batch of Brigada Eskwela.
“The said wheelchairs will be distributed to different schools in Roxas City which will be utilized by their school clinics in case of emergencies,” Castillo said.