Navy deploys 42 ships, 13 aircraft for ‘Ruby’ relief efforts

Repacked relief goods from the DSWD aboard Philippine Navy Vessel BRP Dagupan City (LC-551), for transport to LGUs hit by ‘Ruby’ (Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines)

MANILA — With government relief efforts for people displaced by Typhoon “Ruby” going full blast, the Philippine Navy (PN) on Monday announced that it has so far deployed a total of 42 naval ships and 13 aircraft to respond to the needs of affected communities.

Lt. Cmdr. Marineth Domingo, Navy public affairs office chief, said that these assets were stationed in strategic locations from the Visayas, Southern and Northern Luzon, Northern Palawan including those of the islands in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), Eastern Mindanao

These can be broken down into four surface ships assets in Southern Luzon; 10 naval ships in the Visayas, 10 surface assets and two aircraft in Palawan; six naval ships in Eastern Mindanao and two aircraft in Northern Luzon.

Moreover, a total of 12 surface assets are on standby and ready for deployment in Sangley Point, Cavite City under the Command of the Fleet-Marine Ready Force and nine other aircraft of the Naval Air Group.

Likewise, a number of disaster response and rescue teams were deployed in areas covering Cavite, Manila stretched to CAMANAVA (Caloocan- Malabon-Navotas-Valenzuela) areas to avert the effects in these flood prone areas.

Deployed were 10 teams with one medical team in CAMANAVA aside from that 12 teams with one communication van and three medical teams for Cavite area; and 10 teams deployed in Manila area.

A total of 37 PN DRR (disaster relief response) teams are ready to respond in case of any eventualities.

“The Flag Officer-in-Command (Vice Admiral Jesus Millan) emphasized the Navy’s thrust in helping our government in its nation–building efforts in areas affected by this typhoon. Thus, the Navy’s participation heed to the call of the local government units and the community as a whole for force protection and security; likewise, as reliable partner in inter-agency operations,” Domingo stressed.

She added that this mission put into the test the PN’s communication, electronic and information system capability in times of disaster.

Rehabilitation efforts manifested through sealift, transport and relief operations; road clearing, search and rescue; medical assistance as well as reconstruction activities with the Navy engineering capability, Domingo concluded.