TYPHOON Sendong caused so much damage in the cities of Iligan and Cagayan de Oro in northern Mindanao.
Thousands of deaths have been recorded. Some are still searching for their relatives who have gone missing after being swept by the flash floods.
With the assistance of ShelterBox Response Team (SRT), Marine reservists from Cebu were sent to the two cities to set up ShelterBox relief camps. SRT is an international disaster relief charity organization that provides emergency shelter to people affected by disasters worldwide.
ShelterBox donated over 400 boxes of family tent and cooking utensils, each weighing 54 kgs.
The boxes were transported by the Philippine Navy vessel BRP Bacolod to Cagayan de Oro on Dec. 29.
A temporary community called the “tent city” was set up in a relocation site in barangay Canitoan, Cagayan de Oro City, with the help of Marine reservists of the Naval Reserve Center Eastern Visayas.
The Naval Forces Central (Navforcen) also sent a team of Navy Seals equipped with a rubber boat to Iligan City for the search and retrieval operations.
Navforcen also sent navy vessel BRP Abraham Campo to Cagayan de Oro for three days to help in the search and retrieval operations.
Thirty-five Navforcen personnel and Naval reservists also trooped to ABS-CBN Broadcasting Complex in Mandaue City to assist in the repacking of the relief goods for the typhoon victims.
BRP Bacolod City returned to Cebu from Cagayan de Oro and transported the 400 tons of relief goods from ABS-CBN to Dumaguete City for distribution in the typhoon-hit areas in Negros Oriental.
The loading of relief goods started on the morning of Jan. 2 and it lasted for two days.
The bayanihan efforts of the Cebuanos were seen as civilian volunteers rushed inside the Navforcen headquarters in barangay Looc, Lapu-Lapu City, to help in the loading of relief goods.
Leo Lastimosa, TV Patrol Central Visayas anchor and station manager of DYAB, lauded the Navy for their voluntary deeds.
He also thanked PN’s Flag Officer in Command, Vice Admiral Alexander Pama, and Navforcen Commander, Commodore Zyril Carlos, for responding to the needs of the time.