PCG to continue Odette relief operations amid increasing COVID-19 cases

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Tuesday said that it would push through with its relief transport missions in Typhoon Odette-hit areas despite the increasing COVID-19 infections in the country.

In a statement, CG Admiral Leopoldo Laroya said that they would strive to transport as many relief goods and critical supplies as possible to the affected regions, including far-flung coastal communities.

“We are confident that we can continue to move closer to the full recovery of the affected families despite another COVID-19 surge,” he added.

The PCG noted that 34 of its personnel tested positive for COVID-19 after conducting relief operations over the holidays. Of those who tested positive, 32 were part of Task Force Kalinga and were involved in the transport of relief goods in the Visayas and Mindanao.

Task Force Kalinga isolated the infected people and provided them with necessary medical assistance, the PCG added. They were also replaced by another batch of frontline personnel to ensure that the ongoing operations for Odette victims would not be halted.

Laroya said they are working with several shipping companies like 2GO and Phil Span Asia which volunteered their vessels to augment their relief transport missions.

He also thanked the government agencies and private organizations that coursed their cash and in-kind donations through the PCG Foundation and Task Force Kalinga.

As of Monday, PCG vessels and air assets have transported 1,037.7 tons of relief goods to the Mimaropa, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, and Caraga Regions.

The PCG Auxiliary have also ferried 288.5 tons of supplies, bringing the total of transported relief goods and critical supplies to 1,326.2 tons.

A total of 407 deaths due to Typhoon Odette were recorded by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) as of Saturday.

The typhoon affected 1,140,118 families or 4,462,997 people in 6,530 barangays, the NDRRMC reported. — DVM, GMA News