Santi also batters military camps in Luzon

MANILA, Philippines -   Major military camps in Central Luzon have also felt the wrath of typhoon “Santi,” which left the Philippine area of responsibility last week.

The typhoon damaged more than P46-million worth of infrastructure and properties in two major camps, a damage assessment report by the Armed Forces Northern Luzon Command (NOLCOM) showed.

Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija, which hosts the Army’s 7th division and the Special Forces Regiment, sustained damage worth P32.07 million

Meanwhile, Camp Servillano Aquino in Tarlac incurred an estimated loss of P14 million. The camp serves as the headquarters of the NOLCOM, which oversees the Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal and Benham Rise.

The amount of property damage in the main NOLCOM headquarters reached more than P10-million while that of the Armaments and Ammunitions Battalion totaled P3.7-million.

The report does not include other major camps like Clark and Basa Airbases of the Air Force in Pampanga and Camp Tecson of the Rangers in Bulacan.

“Other minor camps within central Luzon are not also included in the report and actual figure may even be higher,” said Maj. Emmanuel Garcia, spokesman of the Armed Firces 1st Civil Relations Group.

NOLCOM chief Maj. Gen. Gregorio Catapang said they would soon submit a complete report with recommendations to the military’s main headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo.

"We hope to get the necessary fund support for the immediate repair of damaged facilities or construction of new ones so as to fully accomplish our mandate of serving our people," Catapang said.

"Even if our camps and many of our troops' families were affected, we will be ready to lend a hand and provide assistance to the victims of typhoon Santi,” he added.

“Santi” left at least 15 people dead and damaged more than P3-billion worth of infrastructure and agricultural products.