BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The 302nd Infantry Brigade of the Philippine Army said it rescued 634 families, composed of 2,100 persons, at the height of Tropical Depression Vicky that hit Negros Oriental on Dec. 18 and 19, in tandem with rescue groups of various local government units.
1Lt. Mark Anthony Cardinoz, 302nd IB Civil Military Operations officer, said members of the Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response of the Army’s 302nd Infantry Brigade assisted LGUs in the evacuation of affected families in the cities of Dumaguete, Tanjay and Bais, and the town of Pamplona in Negros Oriental.
Cardinoz said the basic needs of affected individuals were being taken care of by their respective LGUs.
Col. Leonardo Peña, 302nd IB commander, said they were able to respond quickly and rescue affected residents with close coordination from concerned LGUs.
Meanwhile, the operations of fastcraft and RoRo vessels between Iloilo and Bacolod, Bacolod and Dumangas, Escalante to Tabuelan port in Cebu, and San Carlos City to Toledo in Cebu, resumed Saturday after Signal Number 1 was lifted by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration.
About 200 passengers on board the St. Therese of The Child Jesus 2Go vessel from Manila arrived early morning Saturday at the Bredco Port in Bacolod City. About 242 passengers, and 17 vessels and rolling cargoes were stranded in various ports of Negros Island since Dec. 18, because of TD Vicky, the Philippine Coast Guard Southern Visayas District said.*
