No Christmas break for gov’t troops in Sendong-hit Mindanao

LEGASPI CITY, Philippine—Philippine security forces continue with their retrieval and rehabilitation efforts in areas affected by tropical storm “Sendong” (international name: Washi) even during the holidays, Office of Civil Defense Director Undersecretary Benito Ramos said Sunday.

In a telephone interview, Ramos said that he has requested members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police and the Philippine Coast Guard not to go on a Christmas break to help the distressed people of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan.

“Pinaki-usapan ko sila na huwag mag-break kasi kapag nakita noong mga kamag-anak nila baka magalit sila,” Ramos told INQUIRER.net.

He estimated that some 800 personnel from the PNP’s maritime forces, more than 2,000 units from the military are helping in the operations. Likewise, the Philippine Coastguard also deployed units to aid in rescue operations, Ramos said.

He added that the Philippine Navy sent its gunboat from the Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao based in Davao to help in retrieval operations. Commodore Phillip Cacayan is the commander of the vessel, he added.

Ramos said that operations are concentrated in the seas since they are hoping to recover the bodies of villagers swept away who by the flash floods.

Disaster teams have recovered bodies of victims as far away as Jimenez town and Oroquieta City in Misamis Occidental and in Misamis Orriental, Camiguin and Bohol.

Local fishermen have also volunteered to assist in retrieval operations, Ramos said. Fisherfolk have offered their boats to be used by army personnel, he said.

“Itong mga fishermen na ito mga kamag-anak nila iyong mga nawawala,” Ramos added.

In its latest situation report issued at 6 am Sunday, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said that the latest death toll has reach 1,100 while 1,079 others remain missing.

A total of 108,798 families or 695,195 persons were affected by Sendong in 789 villages, 56 municipalities and eight cities in Regions 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, CARAGA region and the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao. Of this number, 64,248 families or 327,826 individuals have been served in 46 evacuation centers, the NDRRMC said.

Damage infrastructure was initially estimated at P1.081 billion while destroyed crops have reached P1.936 million, the NDRRMC said.