28th Infantry Battalion

THE 10TH Infantry Division mobilized 69 personnel, along with a fleet of military vehicles and drones, to launch Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response (HADR) following a powerful magnitude 7.8 earthquake that shook parts of Mindanao on Monday, June 8.

According to Major Ruben Gadute, the 10th Infantry Division Public Affairs Office chief, the disaster response teams were drawn from multiple units under the division, including the 27th Infantry Battalion, 28th Infantry Battalion, Task Force GENSAN, the 1002nd Infantry Brigade, and the 10th Emergency Response Company.

The mobilized troops were sent to affected communities to assist with critical search and rescue, damage assessment, and route-clearing operations.

To maximize the efficiency of the rescue and assessment efforts, the 10ID deployed 16 military trucks to transport relief and equipment, alongside three drones utilized for rapid aerial damage assessment in hard-to-reach areas.

Major General Alvin Luzon, 10ID commander, confirmed that troops are already actively operating on the ground, particularly in General Santos City and surrounding areas, to ensure public safety.

“Our troops, particularly those under Task Force GENSAN and the 1002nd Infantry Brigade, are already on the ground conducting disaster response and rescue operations in support of affected communities,” Luzon said.

The military commander added that the division is working in close lockstep with civilian and emergency management agencies to streamline the relief grid.

“In close coordination with the Office of Civil Defense, local government units, and partner agencies, we remain committed to helping ensure the safety and welfare of our fellow Mindanaoans during this challenging time,” Luzon added.

The 10ID stated that all frontline units in the region remain on heightened alert as they continue to monitor the situation on the ground and provide sustained humanitarian assistance to the affected localities.