JOB WELL DONE. Members of the Philippine inter-agency contingent to Turkey help the search and rescue operation after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Türkiye on Feb. 6, 2023. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. hailed the Philippine humanitarian team for a "job well done" upon their return to Manila on Wednesday (March 1, 2023). (File photo)
MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Wednesday heaped praises on the Philippine inter-agency contingent sent to help victims of the devastating magnitude 7.8 earthquake that hit Türkiye on Feb. 6.
In a Facebook post, Marcos expressed elation to know that the 82-man team returned home safely after their humanitarian mission in Istanbul.
“Welcome back from Türkiye to our relief workers. Your rescue and relief efforts were a job well done. Good work and welcome home,” he said.
Marcos issued the statement the same day the Philippine humanitarian team arrived in Manila.
He also thanked the Philippines’ response team for serving about 1,022 patients, helping recover the bodies of six quake victims and assessing 36 buildings in Türkiye.
He also lauded them for providing the victims with 11,205 pieces of blankets, 5,000 pieces of bonnets, and 420 pairs of gloves.
The Philippine contingent consisted of 30 emergency medical technicians from the Department of Health; 21 members of the Philippine Army's 525th Engineer Combat Battalion, 51st Engineer Brigade; 12 from the Philippine Air Force’s 505th Search and Rescue Group; 9 from the Metro Manila Development Authority; 8 from the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority; and 2 from the Office of Civil Defense.
The team arrived in Istanbul on Feb. 9 and stayed there for two weeks.
Türkiye’s government will no longer accept a second contingent from the Philippines, as the so-called element of “life-saving time” has already lapsed, OCD spokesperson Assistant Secretary Rafelito Alejandro IV said on Feb. 13.
It, however, said the Philippines could still send or donate non-food items.
‘Resilient’ Philippines
Meanwhile, the Climate Change Commission (CCC) said the Marcos administration is determined to realize its bid to make the Philippines a “resilient” country.
This was after CCC Commissioner Albert dela Cruz Sr. lauded the resiliency and “bayanihan” (teamwork) of the people of the Dinagat Islands, as well as the smart leadership of its local government officials, which helped the island province survive the severe typhoons that beset its communities in recent times.
“We should emulate what has been done here in Dinagat and with proper coordination, we can share our best practices with each other to achieve our goal of a resilient Philippines, as espoused by our beloved President Marcos,” dela Cruz said in a separate statement on Wednesday.
Dinagat is bearing the brunt of extreme weather disturbances, the CCC noted, citing the case wherein about 14,500 houses were destroyed and 15,700 were damaged when super typhoon Odette (international name Rai) hit the islands in 2022.
Dela Cruz said the impacts of severe typhoons on lives and property are getting worse because of climate change and global warming.
He said climate-related actions should be intensified in all communities in a “bottom-up strategy” to ignite the Filipino spirit of volunteerism.
“Mitigation and adaptation is a must. A whole-of-nation and -community approach is important in addressing the challenges brought about (by) the climate crisis,” dela Cruz said. (PNA)
