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AFP’s “tireless toil in times of crisis” is praised by Duterte.

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte praised the Philippine Armed Forces (AFP) for their “tireless toil through times of crisis and assistance to their fellow Filipinos.”

“I was on the ground two after the typhoon or the day after. Nakita ko yung mga sundalo at yung, (I saw the soldiers and those) Philippine Navy or Air Force — all of them participating in the relief operations and helping the people move,” Duterte said in his prerecorded Talk to the People aired on Tuesday.

Duterte praised the soldiers for providing humanitarian aid to the people during difficult times, in addition to their duties of maintaining law and order, including defeating the communist terrorist New People’s Army (NPA).

“On behalf of the Filipino people, I would want to repeat. I’d like to thank and honor the AFP for their efforts. “It was truly a labor of love to be there, assisting everyone,” Duterte added.

During the Talk to the People at the Arcadia Active Lifestyle Center in Matina, Davao City, he gave a quick salute to the military in front of the major government leaders who were physically and virtually present.

“Salamat (Thank you) for all of the achievements so far that you have gathered throughout the — it’s a never-ending job for you hanggang ngayon at nagpapasalamat ang tao, ako mismo nagpapasalamat (until now and the people are thanking, even myself I’m thanking you). Keep up the good work,” he said.

Soldiers may easily be tapped when “a lot of people need to be supported and they won’t say no,” according to Duterte.

He said, “I’m complimenting the troops because they deserve it.”

Apart from its internal and exterior security defense tasks, the AFP is also a key player in the country’s continuing attempts to contain the coronavirus disease pandemic 2019 (Covid-19).

The AFP’s air, land, and sea assets are also being deployed to carry medical equipment, medical supplies, and even Covid-19 vaccines to various parts of the country.

Thousands of military physicians, nurses, and other medical personnel are currently stationed in Covid-19 treatment and quarantine centers across the country.

Those who answer first

Military soldiers were among the first responders dispatched when Typhoon Odette pounded a significant area of the Visayas and Mindanao in December, according to AFP chief Gen. Andres Centino.

“Our employees were quickly sent to assist in the delivery and transport of relief products, supplies, equipment, and manpower in the impacted areas before, during, and after the typhoon to aid in the preventative, mitigation, and response activities,” Centino told the President.

According to Centino, 9,079 AFP personnel were deployed in Mimaropa, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Northern Mindanao, and Caraga, all of which were hit hard by Typhoon Odette.

For relief and rescue activities, the military used 28 naval vessels, 30 aircraft, and 769 land assets.

With the help of its partner-stakeholders from private aviation and shipping companies, a total of 522,675 kilograms of relief goods and equipment were transported by air, 4.1 million kilograms by sea, and 4.9 million kilograms by land, including the safe transport of 2,100 stranded individuals back to their communities.

The AFP also aided other government agencies in providing basic services, as well as private utility firms in restoring power and water supply in the impacted areas.

“We received and facilitated approximately 8 million kilos of relief goods from 460 donors since the creation of the AFP Civil-Military Coordination Center,” Centino added.

The newly acquired assets were used in the transit, fast damage assessment, evacuation, and clearing operations, according to the AFP chief.

The Navy’s missile frigate BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150), the Air Force’s S-70i “Black Hawk” helicopters, and the Army’s KM-250 and engineering equipment are among them.

The AFP set up a mobile kitchen in Cebu, feeding 24,925 people and sending carpentry workers to rebuild damaged dwellings.

Meanwhile, in Siargao, the BRP Ang Pangulo (ACS-25) served 1,614 patients after being transformed into a floating hospital.

“While we have boosted our personnel deployment in typhoon-affected areas, we assure the President that we still have enough forces stationed in other parts of the nation to carry out the AFP’s mandate of protecting our citizens from rebels and terrorists,” Centino said.

Menandro Villanueva alias “Bok,” the chief of the communist terrorist group’s National Operational Command and Secretary of the Southern Mindanao Regional Party Committee, was also neutralized, according to Centino.

The AFP also took out Narodin Hassan, alias “Andot,” the leader of the DawIah Islamiya-Hassan group, which was behind the recent Mindanao Star Bus attack.

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