DND: AFP to mobilize assets in quake-hit areas

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has prepared its assets for mobilization to earthquake-hit areas in northern Luzon, Defense officer-in-charge (OIC) Jose Faustino Jr. said Wednesday.

At a media briefing presided over by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., Faustino said the military is ready to extend help by deploying its assets and giving out relief assistance to the affected local government units (LGUs).

“AFP prepared assets for mobilization already. We’re talking about air assets and can add more if kailangan pa [if still needed]. We have already a number of air assets in positions in the area in coordination with the Northern Luzon command. The Philippine Navy assets are on standby in Subic kung kinakailangan [when needed],” he said.

“Then of course, the available relief items of Civil Defense is already ready and prepared kung sakaling kinakailangan ng mga LGUs dahil mayroon namang naka-position na mga relief goods sa mga lugar na to,” he added.

Earlier, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Abra at 8:43 a.m. according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology. Its epicenter was located three kilometers northwest of Tayum, Abra, and had a depth of 17 kilometers.

Faustino said the Office of Civil Defense had already issued emergency alerts and warning messages to advise the public on the incident.

The Defense Department’s rapid assessment of the status of roads and bridges, critical lifelines, and infrastructure, the status of houses, total affected population, immediate needs, road clearing operations, and data gathering on submission of reports in the affected areas is also ongoing, he added. — RSJ, GMA News