PH, US aircraft hold disaster response ops in Batanes
Philippine News Agency
By Priam Nepomuceno
July 31, 2025, 10:10 am
MANILA -- Philippine and US military aircraft are now hard at work airlifting relief supplies to communities in Basco, Batanes, which have been severely affected by recent weather disturbances.
Philippine Air Force (PAF) spokesperson Col. Ma. Consuelo Castillo, in a statement late Wednesday, said these missions are part of the ongoing humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR) missions in Northern Luzon.
She added that the United States Air Force (USAF) deployed a CV-22 "Osprey" tilt-rotor aircraft to the PAF for the HADR mission on Wednesday.
"A total of 300 boxes of family food packs were airlifted aboard the USAF CV-22 'Osprey' from Clark Air Base, Pampanga to Basco, Batanes. PAF personnel from the Tactical Operations Wing Northern Luzon (TOWNOL) provided essential ground support during the joint Philippine-US mission, assisting in the unloading, handling, and coordination of aid distribution in Basco, Batanes," she added.
Last July 29, the PAF deployed its C-130 cargo aircraft and S-70i "Black Hawk" helicopters to transport batches of relief goods to Batanes and Abra, respectively.
The C-130 aircraft also facilitated the transport of "locally stranded individuals" from Basco to Manila on its return flight.
The mission was carried out in coordination with the Office of Civil Defense and the Department of Social Welfare and Development, reflecting an inter-agency collaboration for disaster relief operations.
"These collaborative HADR missions not only expedited the delivery of vital supplies to affected areas but also reaffirmed the strong alliance between the Philippines and the United States, centered on mutual support, readiness, and shared humanitarian values in responding to crises," Castillo said. (PNA)
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
