Relief operations in Negros Oriental underway

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines – Relief and rehabilitation efforts, in tandem with rescue and retrieval operations, have started with delivery of relief goods, equipment and rescue personnel from this city to earthquake-hit areas in Negros Oriental, especially Guihulngan City.

The Philippine Coast Guard has deployed two search-and-rescue vessels (SARV) to the province to help in the ongoing relief and rehabilitation efforts. The vessels—the 35-meter BRP Davao Del Norte and the 56-meter BRP Pampanga 003—docked at the Dumaguete port the other day, said Lt. Comm. Agapito Bibat of the local PCG Station.

Both ships have been alternating their trips to give time for refueling and loading of relief goods, rescue workers and other volunteers. They also ferry earthquake victims and patients needing further medical attention in Dumaguete.

On Wednesday, the BRP Davao del Norte left for Guihulngan City, transporting relief goods such as water and food, and rescue volunteers from the Negros Oriental Search and Rescue and the Bureau of Fire Protection.

Bibat said the ship returned by evening carrying 87-year-old Florencia Bustamante, one of four patients earlier arranged for transfer to Dumaguete.

Yesterday, the BRP Pampanga 003 departed at about noon time ferrying relief goods, including 100 pieces of plywood donated by Earnest Uymatiao of the Solid Ace Construction and Development via the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines-Dumaguete chapter.

Relief goods, medical supplies, tents, and other basic commodities—kept in 40-foot container vans—from the Philippine National Red Cross’ headquarters in Cagayan de Oro City arrived Dumaguete yesterday morning and these were loaded into the BRP Pampanga for transporting to Guihulngan.

PNRC-Negros Oriental head Lowella Bael told The FREEMAN it was difficult to ferry the goods to Guihulngan, prompting the agency to ask the PCG to bring it there. Guihulngan City will be the base of PNRC for distribution of relief goods, she said.

The PNRC goods consisted of 30 tents, a Rub Hall for Guihulngan District Hospital, 500 jerry cans, 1,000 mats, 500 food packs (each with 5 kilos rice and five cans of sardines), 360 collapsible container with 21 liters drinking water, 1,000 pieces of 1-liter bottled water, 10 containers of gasoline and 10 containers of diesel. — Judy Flores Partlow and John DX Lapid (THE FREEMAN)