The government of Brunei Darussalam joined countries that are assisting the Philippines in the wake of the devastation wrought by Severe Tropical Storm “Kristine” as it deployed a C-295 aircraft to boost the airlift capabilities for relief and recovery efforts in Luzon.

A C-295 from the Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAF) arrived at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City on Sunday, Oct. 27. 

It was welcomed by Ambassador of Brunei Darussalam to the Philippines Megawati Manan; Philippine Air Force (PAF) Commanding General Lt. Gen. Stephen Parreño; RBAF mission commander Lt. Col. Muhammad Azmi; and other ranking officials of the two countries’ air forces.

PAF spokesperson Col. Ma. Consuelo Castillo said the timely deployment of the C-295 “underscores the strong partnership between the two nations and their shared commitment to supporting each other in times of need.”

“The Brunei C-295 aircraft will play a crucial role in enhancing the PAF’s Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response (HADR) operations as it joins relief efforts in areas affected by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine. The additional aircraft bolsters the PAF’s capability to reach and support affected communities, providing essential supplies and assistance,” Castillo said.

“The PAF expresses its sincere gratitude to the Royal Brunei Air Force for their invaluable support in this time of crisis,” she added.

'Thank you, Singapore and Malaysia'

Meanwhile, the Department of National Defense (DND) and the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) also extended their gratitude to the governments of Singapore and Malaysia for their swift response in sending air assets to aid in the humanitarian efforts. 

DND Sec. Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said their contributions are vital for providing immediate relief to affected regions and facilitating the recovery of victims.

“The arrival of air assets from both Singapore and Malaysia is a significant boost to our relief operations. This assistance is crucial for the fast delivery of relief goods to those in need, particularly for communities still submerged in water. Time is of the essence, and we are immensely grateful for the support from our ASEAN neighbors during this critical period,” he said.

OCD Administrator Usec. Ariel Nepomuceno added that the deployment showed “our shared commitment to helping one another in times of crisis,” adding that any support from regional partners “is invaluable as we work together to recover from this calamity.”

Last Saturday, a Republic of Singapore Armed Forces (RSAF) C-130 transport aircraft and a Royal Malaysia Armed Forces (RMAF) Eurocopter EC275 transport aircraft arrived at Villamor Air Base to provide crucial air logistics support for disaster relief operations.

Teodoro noted that the assistance from both Singapore and Malaysia stemmed from an agreement among ASEAN members to collaborate during disasters, a pact reinforced at the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction hosted by the Philippines two weeks ago.

“It’s a big deal because imagine a C-130 from Singapore and then from our friends in Malaysia a heavy lift helicopter. This is a big help, especially now that helicopters are needed in Bicol,” the defense chief said.

Many areas in Luzon, particularly in Bicol Region, remain isolated due to flooding and landslides.

The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said 6,717,755 individuals or 1,662,416 families were affected by the storm across all 17 regions nationwide. Of this number, there were 980,355 persons that were displaced and seeking shelter in 6286 evacuation centers.

The death toll further increased to 116, many of them died due to landslides and drowning; while 39 others were missing and 109 were injured.

Although Kristine have already left the country’s area of responsibility over the weekend, a total of 754 areas  remained flooded in Ilocos Region (Region 1), Cagayan Valley (Region 2), Central Luzon (Region 3), Calabarzon (Region 4A), Mimaropa (Region 4B), Bicol Region (Region 5), Western Visayas (Region 6), Eastern Visayas (Region 8), Zamboanga Peninsula (Region 9), Soccsksargen (Region 12), Caraga (Region 13), Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), and National Capital Region (NCR).

The OCD said that agricultural loss reached P2,511,311,710.94 while damage to infrastructure was P1,540,867,176.63.

There were 350 areas without power supply; 32 areas without water supply; and 57 areas without communication signal.

A total of 160 cities and municipalities also declared a state of calamity due to the impact of Kristine: 79 in Bicol Region; 64 in Calabarzon; 13 in Eastern Visayas; and one each in Ilocos Region, Soccsksargen, CAR, and NCR.

OCD rapid deployment team now in Naga

To oversee the acceptance and distribution of relief goods for victims of Kristine, the OCD has also deployed its Rapid Deployment Team (RDT) to Naga, according to Nepomuceno.

“A team has been deployed to Naga to manage the incoming relief supplies arriving from Villamor Air Base to Bicol International Airport. This team will also facilitate the distribution of these essential items to affected areas. The Office of Civil Defense serves as the logistics coordinator for all incoming relief supplies transported via aircraft,” he said.

Relief items are being sourced from various agencies and are currently being transported to the Bicol region for distribution across multiple provinces. This operation commenced on Sunday, utilizing aircraft from Malaysia and Singapore.

The relief items include kitchen kits, shelter repair kits, family food packs, medical supplies, and clean water.