Bicol Region

Albay sends response, humanitarian mission for Manila flood victims

By Marlon A. Loterte

Tuesday 7th of August 2012

LEGAZPI CITY, Aug 7 (PIA) -- Albay’s water and sanitation (Watsan) and Office of Civil Defense (OCD-5) water search and rescue teams are set to leave for Manila tonight to assist disaster response units and cater to the needs of the residents affected by severe flooding and related hazards.

Albay Governor Joey Salceda said Team Albay will leave for Manila tonight at around 7 p.m. bringing along one tank lorry and one filtration machine with a capacity of 32,000 liters/hr at its peak.

Salceda said the equipment and facilities will be deployed and dispatched according to the priorities identified by the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) among the affected areas and communities.

“Watsan team will help provide the communities with available drinking water which is this time very essential to the daily needs of the locales,” Salceda said.

A medical team will also be dispatched to various hospitals or communities to augment medical personnel, capabilities and service in most affected areas.

In a meeting today of Bicol DRRMC and Albay PDRRMC, OCD-5 Regional Director Raffy Alejandro, meanwhile said Wasar team from the Armed Forces of Philippines (AFP) units in Bicol, Bureau of Fire (BFP), and other uniformed personnel will help the on-going disaster response efforts of Manila-based units dispatched in several areas of the metropolitan.

OCD will also lead the coordination with national government agencies concerned and local governments in affected areas.

Team Albay humanitarian mission will be composed of medical personnel, water sanitation units, search and rescue team, camp management, psycho-social and other disaster related management experts. (MAL-PIA5 Albay)