RELIEF GOODS. Personnel from the Philippine National Police, Coast Guard, and Naval Reservists join hands in unloading the 68 tons of family food packs in a pier in Ormoc City, Leyte after being successfully shipped from the Naval Base Rafael Ramos in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu to Ormoc City by the BRP Batak (LC 299). Naval Forces Central public affairs head Lieutenant Michael John Savillo on Tuesday (Feb. 28, 2023) said the relief goods are intended for the families who were victims of flooding in Eastern Visayas. (Photo courtesy of Navforcen)
CEBU CITY – The Philippine Navy (PN) has successfully shipped 68 tons of family food packs (FPP) for families affected by flooding in Eastern Visayas localities, a naval officer on Tuesday said.
Lt. Michael John Savillo, public affairs officer of the Naval Forces Central (Navforcen), said the Naval Task Group deployed BRP Batak (Landing Craft 299) skippered by Lt. Commander Alvin Aton to ship 7,500 boxes of FPPs, weighing nine kilos each, to Ormoc City.
“The second wave of the FPPs have arrived at their destinations in different local government units in the provinces of Eastern Samar and Samar after being sealifted on Feb. 21 from Naval Base Rafael Ramos in Lapu-Lapu City,” Savillo told the Philippine News Agency.
The relief goods packed at the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Visayas Disaster Resource Center in Mandaue City are intended for the flood-affected families in the provinces of Eastern Samar and Samar.
The FPPs were for distribution to Arteche, Borongan City, Dolores, General Mac Arthur, Maydolong and Calbayog City.
“The relief goods were handed over to the DSWD-8. Our partners from the Naval Reservists Center in Eastern Visayas, Army soldiers, police officers, and coast guard (men) successfully unloaded the food packs for distribution to the affected families who are victims of flooding due to severe weather disturbance in the said areas,” he said.
Savillo said the Philippine Navy thanked their partners for helping them in completing the sealift mission, citing their mobility and manpower assistance in unloading as well as the transport of the FPPs to the affected localities.
New 53rd Engineer Brigade chief
Meanwhile, the Philippine Army installed Sunday a new commander of the 53rd Engineer “Visayas Builders” Brigade in a change of command rite at the unit’s headquarters in Camp Lapu-Lapu here.
Lt. Gen. Romeo Brawner, Army commanding general, presided over the installation of Col. Maynard Camarao who replaced Brig. Gen. Proceso Rebancos as the Brigade’s head.
Rebancos has been designated as the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief Engineer in January this year.
“I am certain that Col. Camarao’s familiarity with his unit will ensure continuity and further advance the brigade’s accomplishments,” Brawner said.
Prior to his new designation, Camarao served as the chief of the Office of the Chief Housing, Philippine Army (OCHPA) and held key command and staff positions throughout his career as an Army officer.
He became the chief of Investigation Branch, Office of the Inspector General of the Philippine Army; Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations, G3, of the 55th Engineer Brigade; and as commanding officer of the 524th Engineer Construction Battalion.
He also served as Command Engineer of the National Development Support Command of the AFP.
Camarao, a member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) “Bantay-Laya” Class of 1994, is a licensed Civil Engineer and has a Master's Degree in Public Management major in Development Security from the Development Academy of the Philippines. (PNA)
