MANILA, Philippines - The United States (US) government offered its air assets to the Philippine government to help fast track the transport of food and non-food items to help displaced residents in the typhoon-ravaged communities in Mindanao.
National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) Executive Director Benito Ramos welcomed the US offer to use its transport aircraft in distributing goods to the displaced residents, saying that any assistance at this time is highly appreciated.
“We welcome any assistance coming from anywhere,” Ramos said but added the NDRRMC is also exhausting its own resources to help and assist the affected residents.
During major calamities in the country, the US government has been providing the needed airlift capabilities to transport relief goods to Calamity-stricken areas.
“They volunteered to assist us, so we just have to comply with the prevailing protocol by writing a letter-request,” Ramos said.
In 2010, the US deployed four C-130 transport planes and six helicopters to assist in the massive airlift operations during the onslaught of super typhoons in the country.
During typhoon Ondoy in 2009, the US military also assisted in the relief distribution to the affected areas using its heavy lift helicopters to transport food and medicines.
At present, the Armed Forces of the Philippines is heavily dependent on two C-130 cargo planes in transporting goods and other supplies to the disaster-stricken areas in Mindanao.