04-07-2025
PH humanitarian team recognized for earthquake relief mission in Myanmar
Members of the Philippine Inter-Agency Humanitarian Contingent (PIAHC) who were deployed to Myanmar following a deadly earthquake in March were formally recognized by the Department of National Defense. (Photo from DND)
Members of the Philippine Inter-Agency Humanitarian Contingent (PIAHC) who were deployed to Myanmar following a deadly earthquake in March were formally recognized by the Department of National Defense (DND) on Thursday at Camp Aguinaldo.
The contingent, comprising personnel from various government agencies, private sector partners, and humanitarian responders, conducted a two-week relief mission in April to support communities affected by the magnitude 7.7 earthquake that struck Myanmar on March 28.
Defense Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr., who also chairs the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), led the ceremony. He commended the team for their rapid mobilization and coordination, describing the deployment as an example of the country's growing capacity to contribute to international disaster response.
'This was not just a matter of deploying personnel—it required coordination across agencies and sectors to deliver effective assistance,' said Teodoro in his remarks.
The Philippine mission included urban search and rescue teams from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Bureau of Fire Protection, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, as well as medical teams from the Department of Health (DOH). The Office of Civil Defense (OCD)provided logistics and operational coordination.
According to the DND, the team provided medical support, structural assessments, and search-and-rescue services in earthquake-stricken communities, in coordination with Myanmar's disaster response authorities and international partners.
The recognition ceremony was attended by AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo S. Brawner Jr., DOH Secretary Teodoro Herbosa, and OCD Officer-in-Charge Asec. Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV.
The deployment to Myanmar is one of several recent instances in which the Philippines has taken part in international disaster relief operations. In previous years, similar contingents have been sent to areas affected by typhoons, earthquakes, and humanitarian crises within Southeast Asia and the Pacific.—Sherylin Untalan/LDF, GMA Integrated News
