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 last Tuesday.

WesCom Public Information Office spokesperson Captain Ariel Joseph Coloma disclosed that the 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 to the affected areas.

“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,” said Coloma in a statement on 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.

“They will provide assistance for around two days before they go back to Palawan to resume their task,” Coloma said.

He added 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 and the Philippine Coast Guard.