Wescom sends navy vessel to aid Davao flood victims

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, PALAWAN — The Western Command has taken action to help those affected by flash floods in Davao by deploying a naval asset and mobilizing troops to provide vital assistance on Tuesday, 13 February.

Captain Ariel Joseph Coloma, spokesperson of the Western Command's (Wescom) Public Information Office, said BRP Davao Del Sur (LD602) was dispatched, loaded with over 40,000 boxes of food packs supplied by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), to the affected area.

"They sailed to Manila yesterday to load the food packs from DSWD, which they will transport to Davao. What we know is that by this time, they're already on their way to Davao," he said Wednesday.

Accompanying the vessel were troops from the Marine Battalion Landing Team 9 (MBLT9), tasked with supporting the humanitarian mission on the ground.

Upon completing their relief efforts in Davao, both units will return to Wescom's joint operational area in Palawan to resume their duties in bolstering external defense operations, particularly in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

"They will help their for around two days before they go back to Palawan to resume their task," Coloma added.

He said the deployment of BRP Davao del Sur and MBLT-9 troops underscores Wescom's commitment to aiding relief operations, complementing the efforts of other government agencies such as the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).