Masara landslide responders feted

DAVAO CITY — The 10th Infantry Division awarded the selected personnel involved in the Disaster Response and Rescue Operations during the landslide at Zone 1, Barangay Masara in Maco town, Davao de Oro.

10ID commander Maj. Gen. Allan Hambala pinned medals to around 109 personnel from the 525th Engineer Combat Battalion, 10ID Emergency Response Company, 25th Infantry Battalion, 11th Regional Community Defense Group and military working dogs.

In his speech, Hambala expressed gratitude to all personnel who worked tirelessly during search, rescue and retrieval operations in Barangay Masara.

“Your dedication and professionalism while putting yourselves in harm’s way are testament to the noble values that define our Armed Forces,” Hambala said.

In the citation, it stated that the “performance of the awardees bespeaks well of their devotion to duty that resulted in the rescue of 32 injured and retrieval of 98 deceased individuals.”

Meanwhile, Davao de Oro Governor Dorothy Gonzaga also expressed gratitude to all responders and rescuers from various government agencies who helped during the landslide incident.

“We thank you for being a hero to our brothers and sisters affected by the landslide. I thank everyone who gave their time, and effort, and even put their lives at risk just to help the victims,” Gonzaga said.