TACLOBAN CITY – The Police Regional Office 8 (PRO-8), led by Regional Director B/Gen. Jay Cumigad, held a heroes’ welcome ceremony on Monday, November 4, to honor the Region 8 Disaster Response Deployment Contingents who returned from Bicol after their relief mission following Tropical Storm “Kristine.”
The ceremony, held at the PRO-8 gymnasium, recognized the personnel’s dedicated service in aiding Bicol residents during the crisis.
Cumigad expressed his gratitude for the team’s successful mission, emphasizing the importance of unity and compassion in serving Filipinos during times of need.
“Your unwavering support in the ‘Otso Para Sa Singko’ rescue and relief efforts in the Bicol Region has been truly inspiring. You went above and beyond the call of duty in aiding typhoon-stricken communities,” he stated, acknowledging the collective efforts of the public and all partner agencies in making the mission a success.
Tropical Storm “Kristine,” which hit the Philippines on October 22, brought severe flooding and widespread devastation to the Bicol region.
In response, PRO-8 organized an emergency send-off on October 24, deploying personnel from multiple agencies, including the Philippine National Police (PNP), Regional Maritime Unit 8, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), and the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Region 8.
This inter-agency team worked tirelessly to maintain law and order, ensure public safety, and provide essential humanitarian assistance in the hardest-hit areas. Their efforts included rescue operations, relief distribution, and peacekeeping to support community recovery.
To further aid the relief efforts, PRO-8 activated the PNP Help and Food Bank, initially donating P100, 000 to support affected families in the Bicol region.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
