Binay sends K-9 teams, relief goods to quake-stricken areas

MANILA, Philippines—Vice President Jejomar Binay on Thursday said he will dispatch K-9 units to Guihulngan City in Negros Oriental to assist in search and rescue operations there following Monday’s 6.9-magnitude earthquake that struck Central and Western Visayas.

Binay said the two K-9 teams are composed of six extrication experts, two detection dogs and four handlers from the Philippine Search and Rescue Foundation and Makati K9/Rescue Unit

The teams are equipped with a search camera and portable hydraulic equipment, said Binay, a former longtime mayor of Makati City.

He said the team had participated in retrieval operations in other calamity-hit areas such as Guinsaugon, Leyte, where a landslide struck in 2006.

“They are set to leave for Dumaguete on Thursday via C-130 aircraft provided by the Philippine Army and are expected to help in the retrieval operations in Barangay Planas, Guihulngan City,” the Vice President said.

Relief goods are also en route to Negros Oriental, said Binay.

To date, the Office of the Vice President has sent 292 boxes of water each to the provincial government of Negros Oriental and the local government of Guihulngan. Fifty sacks of rice were also distributed in Guihulngan and 15 sacks were distributed in Jimalalud.

The Vice President on Tuesday flew to Negros Oriental to extend his condolences to the victims of Monday’s earthquake and assess the damage to the province.