Italian, Australian troops on mercy mission fly home

AFTER a month of helping supertyphoon survivors in Cebu and Eastern Visayas, troops from the Australian Defense Force (ADF) left the country yesterday after a sendoff ceremony at the Benito Ebuen Airbase in Mactan.

The Italian Air Force, meanwhile, is set to fly home today.

Lt. Col Roderick Lang, commander of the ADF Joint Task Force, said they feel proud of their contribution in uplifting the conditions of the survivors. They have moved tons of aid by air and by sea and had evacuated displaced people.

They started their relief and recovery efforts last November 13 in Tacloban, Ormoc, Guiuan, Roxas, mainland Cebu and Bantayan Island.

Their mission ended on Monday and they had a ceremony in Ormoc. Of the 500 members of the ADF, 200 left yesterday through the Benito Ebuen Airbase in Mactan. The rest will return to Australia later this week.

“It was a successful mission together. What we were doing was meaningful. I hope what we have done can make a big difference,” said Wing Commander Jarrod Pendlebury of the Command Air Component of the group.

Pendlebury thanked the Filipinos for their continued hospitality despite the calamity.

“It is also nice to see that people are starting to get back to normal,” Pendlebury added.

As for 39 members of the Italian Air Force who were involved in rescue operations since November 17 in Roxas and Tacloban, they are scheduled to leave the Philippines today. They have provided hospital and medical equipment to survivors.

Major Macri Carmelo, Commander Air Component of Italian Air Force, “it is nice to see people from abroad working together.”

“I’ll be back here. I saw beautiful people and beautiful places,” Carmelo added.

The two groups said they will continue to support the Filipinos until the survivors have fully recovered.

Maj. Gen. Romeo Poquiz, commander of the PAF 2nd Air Division, is grateful for the foreign military assistance, rescue, security, equipment and supplies that the two groups provided.

“I saw their passion as they do their job. Although it’s hot or raining, they are still working and loading the cargoes,” Poquiz added./ Correspondent Michelle Joy L. Padayhag