ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — The Naval Forces Western Mindanao over the weekend delivered 50 tons of assorted relief goods for communities in the Siargao and Dinagat Islands that were affected by Typhoon Odette last December, officials said Monday.
The relief goods were transported from Zamboanga City and Cotabato City in convoys that rolled the more than a thousand-kilometer stretch of highway to converge at the headquarters of 402nd Infantry Brigade in Butuan City and proceeded to Surigao City.
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Lt. Chester Cabaltera, spokesman of NFWM, said the relief mission was led by Lt. Cdr. Muksin Jasid, NFWM civil-military office commander for Zamboanga City, while Cdr. Suharto Ambolodto, Naval Forces Reservist Western Mindanao (NFR-WM) headed the Cotabato group.
A simple ceremony was held during the turnover of the relief goods by Commo. Carlos Sabarre, commander of Joint Task Force Sambisig and Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao (NFEM) at the dock where BRP Gregorio Velasquez (AGR-702), the command-and-control platform of the joint task force has been berthing for the ongoing relief mission.
Cabaltera said the relief goods included sacks of rice, boxes of canned goods, noodles, clothing and drinking water which were donated by the Office of the Deputy Minority Floor Leader of Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), naval reserve unit, Joint Task Force Basilan, Westmincom CMO unit, civilian stakeholders and non-government organizations, and fishing companies in Zamboanga City.
Rear Adm. Toribio Adaci Jr., commander of NFWM, expressed his gratitude for the support extended by the stakeholders, retired military officials and military units for the continued humanitarian mission to the communities affected by the typhoon.
"Your navy, apart from sending its ships in aid of the current relief operations, is also ready to travel thousands of miles just to reach our needy kababayans," Adaci said.