Team Albay: Model in unified integrated disaster response

Team Albay, a multi-awarded disaster response team, is once again mobilizing to aid communities devastated by Super Typhoon Pepito in Catanduanes province.

The team, founded 16 years ago by Albay Second District Representative Joey Salceda, has deployed approximately 250 members to the province’s hardest-hit areas -- Pandan, Panganiban, Gigmoto, Caramoran, Bagamanoc, and Viga.

The initiative, dubbed Albay in Action and Compassion for Catanduanes (A2C2), is backed by a P15 million-budget. The team is providing a range of services, including medical and hospital assistance; psycho-social support; water sanitation and internet connectivity.

It also includes food and fuel; home building materials and agricultural rehabilitation.

Team Albay has a history of successful disaster response missions, both domestically and internationally.

To further expand its reach, the team collaborated with the Team Albay Youth Organization (TAYO), which develops preventive disaster responses through innovative Climate Hero Training.

“Their collective humanitarian spirit underpins the team’s success,” Salceda said in a statement.

The team has previously deployed to areas affected by typhoons and earthquakes in the Philippines and has shared its expertise with countries like Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam, Kenya, Nigeria, and Timor-Leste.

Salceda credits the team’s success to its dedicated members and their commitment to humanitarian principles.

“Team Albay continuously shows that it is not just a model for the country but also for the global community, proving that when united by purpose, even the most formidable challenges can be overcome,” Salceda said.