(UPDATED)

The Philippine Army (PA) said Saturday, April 5, that it has begun searching for signs of life in Myanmar after the devastating magnitude 7.7 earthquake that struck the country last week.

The troops are still hoping for a miracle that they would find survivors even if it was already more than a week since the earthquake brought down high-rise buildings and structures, and buried hundreds of individuals underneath piles of rubble last March 28.

The Army search and rescue team is composed of 10 soldiers from the 525th Combat Engineer Battalion under the Combat Engineer Regiment, according to PA spokesperson Col. Louie Dema-ala. They arrived at the Nay Pyi Taw Military Air Base in Myanmar last April 1 and immediately commenced their participation in the inter-agency humanitarian mission.

The troops were accompanied by members of the Philippine Air Force’s (PAF) 505th Search and Rescue Group, Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), Department of Health (DOH), and the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), which make up the 91-member Philippine Inter-Agency Humanitarian Contingent (PIAHC) to Myanmar.

The PIAHC’s urban search and rescue (USAR) team, composed of personnel from various government agencies and volunteers, conducted a light search operation at the collapsed Jade Hotel and Entertainment Complex in the capital city of Nay Pyi Taw.

“The team integrated to perform specific designations along with other contingents. The team emphasized the adherence to specific security measures to mitigate the risks of petty crimes and the safety protocols to be observed in case of aftershocks,” Dema-ala said.

However, after four hours of operation, the USAR team did not find anyone alive.

Two cadavers were also found by the searchers from the collapsed entertainment building, and they were turned over to local authorities.

The operation was temporarily suspended as the area remains unstable and an assessment is needed from local authorities in Myanmar before it is cleared for further operation.

Dema-ala expressed hope that the troops would find signs of life as they continue their operation in the coming days.

The Army’s 525th Combat Engineer Battalion is no longer new to international humanitarian missions. The Army’s experienced search and rescue unit played a pivotal role in the Philippines’ recovery efforts during the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that shook Turkiye in February 2023.

Meanwhile, OCD Administrator, Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno said he remains hopeful that the four Filipinos who went missing after the quake would soon be found alive.

"We really wanted our humanitarian contingent in Myanmar to be the ones to locate our kababayans, who are believed to be trapped in the rubble of Sky Villa," he said. The missing Filipinos are said to be residing at the condominium, which collapsed due to the quake.

However, Nepomuceno said the Philippine contingent must adhere to the directive of Myanmar authorities and follow its government's operational plans.

"Urban search and rescue teams from Myanmar, Vietnam, Russia and China are currently assigned to the Sky Villa area," the OCD administrator revealed.

Should Myanmar require further assistance, Nepomuceno said the OCD stands ready to deploy additional humanitarian contingent to replace the first team, which is scheduled to return to the Philippines on April 12.

"Filipinos in Myanmar who wish to repatriate can join our humanitarian contingent on their flight back home," Nepomuceno said.