Eastern visayas: The Philippine Air Force (PAF) announced on Tuesday the deployment of its S-70i Black Hawk helicopter to deliver essential relief goods to the communities in Eastern Visayas affected by Super Typhoon Uwan, also known internationally as Fung-wong. This operation aims to provide immediate relief to the residents who are in dire need of assistance.

According to Philippines News Agency, the airlift operation successfully transported 430 pails of hygiene kits from the Headquarters, Tactical Operations Group 8 (TOG-8) located in Tacloban City to Bontoc, Southern Leyte, and Guiuan Airport in Guiuan, Eastern Samar. The delivery focused on providing vital sanitation supplies to the residents to help maintain hygiene in the aftermath of the disaster.

In addition to the hygiene kits, 250 boxes of family food packs were sent to Hinunangan, Southern Leyte. These food packs are crucial in ensuring that families in the affected regions receive necessary sustenance and support during this critical time. The relief efforts were further supported by personnel from the PAF, Philippine Army, and Philippine National Police, along with civilian volunteers who assisted in the unloading and distribution of the items.

PAF spokesperson Col. Ma. Christina Basco emphasized that the airlift mission is part of the government’s ongoing humanitarian assistance and disaster response operations. The objective is to mitigate the impact of the super typhoon and provide timely aid to the affected communities.

Super Typhoon Uwan struck Luzon and several areas in the Visayas on Sunday. As of 11 a.m. on Tuesday, the storm had displaced 2.4 million individuals and resulted in 18 fatalities, as reported by the Office of Civil Defense (OCD). In response, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has mandated continuous relief and rehabilitation operations in the devastated areas, with all government agencies directed to remain fully alert and concentrate on evacuation, medical deployment, and clearing operations.