AUGMENTATION DEPLOYED. Government field workers under the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) in the Davao Region (Region 11) attend a send-off ceremony at the Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao headquarters in Davao City on Wednesday (Dec. 22, 2021) before their deployment to Caraga Region. The Region 11 team will attend to the immediate needs of Typhoon Odette victims, including the reconstruction of destroyed shelters, and relief, search and rescue operations. (Photo courtesy of Sheila Lisondra - Radyo Pilipinas Davao) DAVAO CITY - Military personnel and teams from various government agencies working under the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council in the Davao Region (RDRRMC-11) were deployed on Wednesday to augment the workforce in the Caraga Region which was severely hit by Typhoon Odette. In a send-off ceremony held at the Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao headquarters here, the team was composed of troops from the Armed Forces of the Philippines - Eastern Mindanao Command, the Army's 10th Infantry Division (ID), Coast Guard Southeastern Mindanao, Reserve Officers Legion of the Philippines, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD-11), Mines and Geosciences Bureau in Region 11, and the Provincial DRRMOs of Davao de Oro, and Davao del Sur. In an interview, Lt. Gen. Greg Almerol, the Eastmincom commander, said trucks loaded with food items from DSWD and non-food Items (family packs, blankets, and tents) will also be distributed to the affected communities in the Caraga Region. "This is in coordination with RDRRMC- 11 and the contingents that will help in the relief, search and rescue operations," he said. He added that around 10 teams were already deployed on Tuesday to Surigao. "This is a big group because there are teams already deployed from 4ID and this 10ID is just an augmentation. We have deployed sufficient forces in Siargao Island, Surigao, and Dinagat Islands," Almerol said. He said the badly-hit areas needed immediate response especially in conducting search and rescue operations as well as relief operations. "Everything was destroyed and they need help. Most of the roofs of their houses were ruined and we need to extend help in constructing their shelter," Almerol said. Almerol said they remain committed to helping rebuild the houses as well as the lives of those affected. "That's why our troops are on this because we need to address their problem. This may take time because there is huge destruction and there is a need for rehabilitation and construction," he said. (PNA) }