PCG vessels deliver Kristine aid

MANILA, Philippines — Vessels of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) deployed to the West Philippine Sea have been repositioned to deliver relief goods to victims of Severe Tropical Storm Kristine in Bicol.

Multi-role response vessels BRP Cabra, BRP Suluan and BRP Teresa Magbanua are transporting relief supplies to calamity victims in Bicol, the PCG said.

Cabra left the Port Area in Manila on Saturday and arrived at Pasacao Port in Camarines Sur yesterday, carrying boxes of food packs, rice, drinking water bottles, canned goods, noodles and coffee.

Suluan will travel to Bicol, carrying 2,200 relief packs donated by Sen. Raffy Tulfo, 300 relief packs and 175 sacks of rice from ACT-CIS party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo and 300 sliced bread from PCG Auxiliary Captain Melvin Villa.

Teresa Magbanua is in Cebu to deliver family food packs provided by the Department of Social Welfare and Development Region 7.

The DSWD said it is aiming to send an additional 11,000 family food packs to Bicol. The agency has delivered 50,500 food packs since Oct. 23 through its Visayas Disaster Resource Center.

Suluan was used to install buoys in the West Philippine Sea. Cabra was part of a resupply mission. Teresa Magbanua had stood guard at Sabina Shoal for five months, enduring hunger and dehydration.

Meanwhile, PCG search and rescue dog Optimus on Saturday helped rescuers find the missing body of a 21-year-old woman in Cuenca, Batangas.

The cadaver was found in Barangay Don Juan.

On Oct. 25, PCG K9 search dog Traze also helped locate two corpses in Calatagan, Batangas.

The PCG has recovered 15 corpses in Batangas as of Friday.