ASEAN neighbors send air assets to help in rescue, recovery efforts

Four Southeast Asian nations – Singapore, Brunei, Malaysia, and Indonesia – are sending assistance to the Philippines to support ongoing recovery efforts after the devastation left by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine, the Office of Civil Defense said.

“Other countries are helping us – it’s automatic for Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia to help. They’ve also sent their air assets,” OCD administrator Usec. Ariel Nepomuceno said.

The Singaporean Ministry of Defense confirmed it will send a C-130 transport aircraft to aid in humanitarian efforts.

“The Singapore Armed Forces contributions underscore the warm and friendly bilateral and defense ties and close Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) cooperation between Singapore and the Philippines,” the ministry said.

Malaysia also deployed an EC 725 AP helicopter from its No. 5 Squadron in Labuan Air Base to support disaster relief missions in “Kristine”-hit areas.

The mission was led by Maj. Thaddeus Raphael ak Azis of the Royal Malaysian Air Force, accompanied by a team of 15 personnel.

Earlier, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites across the country would be activated for relief and rescue operations.

He said the EDCA sites would be used to airlift relief goods, personnel, and equipment, especially in areas with unpassable road networks.

There are currently nine EDCA sites across the country – the Cesar Basa Air Base in Floridablanca, Pampanga; Fort Magsaysay Military Reservation in Nueva Ecija; Lumbia Airport in Cagayan de Oro; Antonio Bautista Air Base in Puerto Princesa, Palawan; Benito Ebuen Air Base in Cebu; Naval Base Camilo Osias in Sta. Ana, Cagayan; Lal-lo Airport in Lal-lo Cagayan; Camp Melchor Dela Cruz in Gamu, Isabela; and Balabac Island in Palawan.

Armed Forces chief of staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said their American counterparts are ready to deploy their planes to the EDCA sites.

“In terms of the airlift capability, we already have alerted most of our aircraft. But we also coordinated with our US counterparts, and they are ready to send in their aircraft using our EDCA sites,” Brawner said.