Philippine Army team joins Myanmar search and rescue

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Army Search and Rescue team composed of soldiers from the 525th Combat Engineer Battalion are now conducting search and rescue operations in Myanmar.

After landing at the Naypyidaw Military Air Base earlier this week, the group immediately commenced its inter-agency participation in ongoing missions.

The Philippine Army said the 10-man team arrived in Myanmar along with members of the 505th Search and Rescue Group of the Philippine Air Force, the Bureau of Fire Protection, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, the Department of Health and the Office of Civil Defense to support the search and rescue efforts and extend assistance to the affected communities after the 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck the country.

The team integrated to perform specific designations along with other contingents, emphasizing adherence to specific security measures to mitigate the risks of petty crimes and the safety protocols to be observed in case of aftershocks.

Army spokesman Col. Louie Dema-ala said the 525th Combat Engineer Battalion also played a pivotal role in inter-agency humanitarian assistance and disaster response in the aftermath of the massive earthquake that shook Turkey in February 2023. The earthquake killed over 55,000 people in Turkey and Syria.