MANILA - Ranking officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and other government agencies welcomed the 82 members of the Philippine Inter-Agency Humanitarian Contingent (PIAHC) who safely returned home Tuesday night after their mission to earthquake-ravaged Trkiye.

National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council chair and Department of National Defense officer in charge Undersecretary Carlito Galvez Jr., Office of Civil Defense (OCD) administrator Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno, AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Andres Centino, and Turkish Ambassador to Manila Niyazi Eyren Akyol were among those who welcomed the contingent upon arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3.

"The PIAHC was deployed in Trkiye on Feb. 8 to conduct humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR) operations following the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that hit the country," AFP public affairs office chief Col. Jorry Baclor said in a statement Wednesday.

The contingent's urban search and rescue (USAR) team conducted retrieval and assessment missions in the southeastern city of Adiyaman for more than two weeks.

The USAR team concluded its activities on Feb. 24 and prepared for demobilization the following day.

"During their deployment, they assessed 36 buildings and retrieved six cadavers for the whole duration of their search and retrieval operations," Baclor said.

The PIAHC consists of 12 personnel from the 505th Search and Rescue Group of the Philippine Air Force, 21 from the 525th Engineer Combat Battalion, 9 from the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, 8 from the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, 30 from the Department of Health, and 2 from the OCD.

In addition, the Philippine Emergency Medical Assistance Team, attached to the PIAHC, provided aid to 1,022 ambulatory cases and referrals of cases requiring hospitalization.

Ankara earlier declined a second contingent from Manila to help in operations in the aftermath of the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that rocked the country on Feb. 6 as the chances of finding live survivors dim as days go by.

The Turkish government, however, said the Philippines could send or donate non-food items, he added.

Showcase of HADR gear, equipment

As this developed, the Philippine Army (PA) on Feb. 27-28 showcased its HADR gear and equipment that soldiers use to save lives during calamities.

This took place at the "Static Display of Engineering Equipment and HADR Capabilities" at the Philippine Army Officers' Clubhouse Pavilion in Fort Bonifacio, Metro Manila, PA spokesperson Col. Xerxes Trinidad said Wednesday.

The two-day event was among the series of activities lined up in celebration of the PA's 126th Founding Anniversary, which falls on March 22 and is anchored on the theme "Army@126: Strong, United and Reliable."

The event highlighted the Army's non-traditional roles, particularly in Socio-Economic Development and Reserve Force Development.

The 525th Engineer Combat Battalion (525ECBn), 51st Engineer Brigade put on display various equipment used in collapsed structure search and rescue, water search and rescue, mountain forest search and rescue, emergency medical response, K-9 search and rescue, and combat engineer support operations.

The 525ECBn also showcased its heavy equipment, such as a newly acquired vehicle-mounted mine detector, grader, and bulldozers that its troopers use in combat engineer support operations and HADR efforts.

"Moreover, the Reserve Command 1303rd Ready Reserve Infantry Battalion's search and rescue unit displayed its rescue equipment while the Office of the Army Chief Engineer also highlighted in its booth the PA's engineering support to national development projects and base development projects," Trinidad said. (PNA)