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Philippine humanitarian team returns from Turkey


The Philippine Inter-Agency Humanitarian Contingent team members deployed to Turkey returned to the Philippines on Tuesday evening, GMA News' James Agustin reported.

The team, composed of 82 members, traveled to Turkey that was hit by a 7.8-magnitude earthquake to conducted rescue and retrieval operations alongside other humanitarian organizations.

As of 9:40 p.m., the team onboard Turkish Airlines flight TK 264 arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3.

The Philippine team that included personnel from the Department of Health (DOH), Armed Forces of the Philippines, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, and Office of Civil Defense (OCD).

Turkish Ambassador to the PH Niyazi Akyol welcomed the team with Defense Department Officer-in-charge Carlito Galvez Jr. and OCD Assistant Secretary Raffy Alejandro.

Akyol thanked the Philippine Government for assisting the earthquake-ravaged country in its rescue and recovery efforts.

The 82-member contingent will undergo psychosocial debriefing.

The team completed the search and rescue operation in the 36 damaged or collapsed infrastructures, retrieving six bodies from February 11 to 24, 2023.

The Philippine government also extended financial assistance to the quake victims. Speaker Martin Romualdez of Leyte turned over the House of Representatives’ donation of $100,000 or around P5.4 million.

Meanwhile, members of the Filipino community in Turkey launched a donation drive by collecting used clothes, winter clothes and food. -- Sherylin Untalan/BAP, GMA Integrated News

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