Eastern Visayas sends health personnel, soldiers to Bicol

INQUIRER FILES

TACLOBAN CITY — While parts of Eastern Visayas were also affected by Tropical Storm Kristine (international name: Trami), this did not stop the region from helping another place in need.

The Department of Health in Eastern Visayas and the Eastern Visayas Medical Center (EVMC) on Tuesday, Oct. 29, deployed a specialized team of 18 healthcare professionals to the Bicol region to assist the local health response after the devastation brought on by Kristine.

The team led by the Eastern Visayas Philippine Emergency Medical Assistance Team is composed of doctors, nurses, and allied health workers.

Their primary destination is the Naga City General Hospital where they will join Health Emergency Response Teams already on the ground, working around the clock to address the urgent health needs of the affected communities.

Equipped with essential medical supplies and resources, the EVMC team aims to provide immediate care, manage injuries, prevent potential disease outbreaks, and deliver critical healthcare services to those in dire need.

The deployment highlights a strong commitment to inter-regional solidarity and rapid emergency response, ensuring healthcare resources reach communities most affected by crises.

Also helping in the rescue operations were members of the 8th Infantry Division (8ID) which dispatched 20 of its personnel to Camarines Sur to distribute relief supplies to communities affected by the recent calamity.

The soldiers brought with them 1,400 food packs, 1,400 boxes of drinking water, and 1,000 boxes of biscuits to barangays in Minalabac, according to a statement from the 8th Infantry Division based in Catbalogan City, Samar.

The task force has provided 1,300 units of drinking water, 100 family water filtration units, and 3,481 non-food items to families displaced by the storm.

Brigadier General Perfecto Peñaredondo, acting commander of the 8ID, reaffirmed the Army’s commitment to relief efforts.

“We stand with our communities in these challenging times, working hand in hand with local governments to deliver essential support,” he said.

Last week, at least 150 policemen and 43 other government personnel from Eastern Visayas were also deployed to Bicol to help victims of Kristine.