Navy deploys rescue team for Binaliw landslide rescue
FAMILY members and relatives wait as rescuers continue operations on a collapsed waste segregation facility in Barangay Binaliw, Cebu City, on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (AP)
The Philippine Navy (PN) on Monday said the Naval Forces Central (NFC), the naval command responsible for Visayas, has deployed a search, rescue, and retrieval (SRR) team to help in the ongoing rescue mission following the landslide at the landfill in Barangay Binaliw in Cebu City last Jan. 8.
In a statement, the Navy said the SRR team was deployed to augment ongoing response efforts.
"Composed of specially-trained naval personnel equipped with technical rescue tools and personal protective gear, the NFC SRRT is prepared to operate in hazardous and unstable terrain. This deployment highlights the Command’s steadfast commitment to providing humanitarian assistance and disaster response in support of local government units and impacted communities," the PN said.
Upon arrival in the affected area on Jan. 11, the NFC SRRT, operating under the Joint Task Group Cebu, immediately coordinated with the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, the Cebu City Bureau of Fire Protection, the Cebu City Police Office, and other responding agencies.
This inter-agency collaboration ensures a unified, systematic approach to search, rescue, and retrieval operations, prioritizing the safety of both responders and civilians.
The PN underscored the importance of rapid rescue operations while ensuring responder safety.
It also said ground conditions are being continuously monitored, with operational adjustments implemented as needed to reduce the risk of secondary incidents.
Around six people were reported killed in the incident while another 12 were injured and 31 missing. (PNA)