Aerial shot of the fire in Mt. Apo (Photo courtesy of the Philippine Air Force Tactical Operations Group 11 and 305th Air Intelligence Service Squadron)
DAVAO CITY — The Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (RDRRMC) appealed to the public to provide more food provision, water and volunteers to help out in quelling the grassfire in Mt. Apo.
In a Philippine Information Agency dispatch, Regional Executive Director Joselin Marcus Fragada said they are requesting for drinking water and canned food for volunteers who also need to be replaced with other volunteers.
The designated drop off areas for donations are at the Incident Command Post (ICP) in Barangay Kapatagan in Digos, Davao del Sur; Digos City DENR Office and DENR Regional Office in Lanang, Davao City.
Fragada said volunteers should be physically ready to assist in putting out the fire, noting that the trek to reach the site takes five to seven hours.
“Kung magpapadala po tayo ng volunteers dapat yong may capacity to help, that they do not become a liability (If you are sending volunteers they should have the capacity to help),” he said.
Meanwhile, Major Ezra Balagtey of the Eastern Mindanao Command’s (EMC) Public Information Office said a SuperHuey helicopter left the Tactical Operations Group 11 around 6:40 am on Saturday, April 2 and conducted a heli bucket in Kapatagan.
“Also today one huey (helicopter) is presently being utilized to ferry volunteer, aerial assessment and resupply,” Balagtey said in an email.
On Friday, April 1 Army commander Gen. Rey Leonardo Guerrero directed all units under to alert all their disaster response unit for possible deployment in Mt. Apo to help in fire suppression operations.
“As of 2:00 am today a company size or 112 soldiers from 10th Infantry Division arrived in Kapatagan and will be reporting to ICP thereat for briefing and subsequent deployment and utilization,” said Balagtey. (davaotoday.com )
