• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
A total of 100 police personnel and firefighters from Negros Island have been dispatched to Cebu to assist in the ongoing collapsed structure search and rescue (CSSR) operations and humanitarian assistance and disaster response in areas devastated by the magnitude 6.9 earthquake on Sept. 30.
PLt. Col. Joem Malong, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office-Negros Island Region, said they selected 80 police personnel, composed of 41 from the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office and 39 from the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office.
They are trained in disaster response and emergency operations and fully equipped with the necessary rescue equipment, she added.
Malong said the police personnel will engage in search and rescue mission, evacuation efforts and humanitarian operations in earthquake-affected communities for a maximum of two weeks.
The Bureau of Fire Protection-Negros Island Region also dispatched 20 of its personnel to Bogo City in Cebu.
Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office head Irene Bel Ploteña said the Talisay City rescue group was also dispatched to Cebu while CSSR teams from the provincial government, Sagay, Sipalay, Bago, Cadiz, San Carlos and Silay are now on standby for deployment.
Ploteña said the Escalante city government on Oct. 1 delivered potable water and rice and brought their water tanker and mobile kitchen to Cebu while other local government units also indicated lending their response assets.
The provincial government is also preparing assistance to Cebu province, she added.
The Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division, through its 302nd Infantry Brigade and Joint Task Group Cebu, deployed troops as well to earthquake-stricken areas in Cebu on Oct. 1.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported on Thursday of 92 deaths and 294 injuries. | GB
