Chamber of Mines members assist in Kristine rescue, relief operations

MANILA, Philippines — Filipino miners quickly mobilized their emergency response teams (ERT) to assist in rescue and road clearing operations and have committed to donate cash and relief goods to victims of Severe Tropical Storm Kristine.

“Our member-firms were among the first to volunteer their manpower resources and company equipment to assist in government-led rescue efforts and in the removal of debris and other clearing efforts along thoroughfares in the Cordillera Autonomous Region,” Chamber of Mines of the Philippines (COMP) chairman Michael Toledo said.

“Meanwhile, as the extent of the storm’s damage is being assessed, our members from all over the country have committed to donate cash and relief goods consisting of clean water, food packages and medicines to communities where help is most needed.

Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo Loyzaga has said in a recent National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council briefing led by President Marcos that they have reached out to the mining industry to help the government with its disaster response operations.

Several of our members’ ERTs are being deployed to the hardest hit regions, and, if necessary, will send medical teams and more ERTs to provide relief and perform rescue in terms of possible landslide and other situations as they did in past typhoons like Odette, Yolanda, Ondoy and Sendong, as well as big earthquakes in Mindanao in 2017 and in Luzon in 1990.