Japan steps up role in disaster drill

MANILA, Philippines – Japan has the biggest number of participants in the first ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Voluntary Demonstration of Response (VDR) on Disaster Relief that begins tomorrow, with around 80 rescuers, medical workers, engineering personnel and members of the Japan Red Cross.

The event, hosted by the Philippines and the United States, will start with an opening program at the One Esplanade, Mall of Asia Complex, SM Central Business Park in Pasay City.

“The biggest delegation is from Japan with 80 delegates,” said National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) administrator Glenn Rabonza.

He said Japan will bring its U2 aircraft, a maritime rescue aircraft that is as big as a C130 that can land and take off at sea.

The highlight of the opening program is a maritime demonstration by the Japanese and Philippine delegations in Manila Bay.

“We will have this scenario where we will see a capsized vessel and after calling the Coast Guard and the Navy, the ship is still below the water. The Coast Guard and Navy need help and they call Japan for help,” said Rabonza.

He said all member countries will take part in all areas of demonstration.

The US will actively take part in land, maritime and air demonstrations, and provide supplies and personnel for medical and dental missions in Subic and Clark.

Indonesia, Mongolia, Australia and Papua New Guinea will be involved in reconstructing damaged schools and destroyed bridges in Central Luzon.

South Korea will provide a rescue unit for emergency services while New Zealand will offer a B757 aircraft for the transportation and deployment of medical, dental and engineering personnel around the demonstration areas.

Other contributing nations include China, Brunei, Sri Lanka, India, the European Union (EU) and Singapore. The rest of the ARF member countries are expected to participate as observers.

The Philippine delegation will have more than 100 participants.

The VDR is the first field exercise since ARF, the principal forum for security dialogue in the Asia-Pacific region with 27 member countries, was established in 1994.

The civilian-led and military-supported exercise will also provide participants the opportunity to actually carry out humanitarian assistance missions among ARF members in a simulated wide-scale disaster.

ARF member countries will offer assistance to the Philippines in response to its request for international humanitarian relief. – Pia Lee-Brago