PAF in Action, Bombing missions, CAS, rescue

DOOR-TO-DOOR DELIVERY. Philippine Air Force soldiers have devise a simple yet effective method of delivering relief goods to the needy residents – door to door delivery. It drew support from community leaders who have to contend with duplication in receipt of relief goods. Photographed above are soldiers penetrating the worst-hit portions of Santolan, Pasig on foot with every soldier weighed down by the goods they’re set to deliver. (Left), a lady pilot deliver her relief goods to an appreciative resident, and (Right), soldiers single-filed their way in a narrow alley just to reach the affected families.(PIO, PAF Photos)POSTED: 4:54 PM - 02 OCT 2009



PENETRATING DEVASTATED COMMUNITIES. Philippine Air Force soldiers, under orders to maximize their contribution to the post-typhoon efforts all over the affected areas, have devised a simple yet effective method of delivering relief goods to the needy residents – door to door delivery to eliminate duplication in receipt of relief goods. Photographed right are soldiers penetrating the worst-hit portions of Santolan, Pasig on foot with every soldier weighed down by the goods they’re set to deliver. They form human chains in muddied areas (Left) and single-filed their way in narrow alleys (below) just to reach the affected families. (PIO, PAF Photos) POSTED: 4:54 PM - 02 OCT 2009



BACK TO SCHOOL. Rushing before the students show up after a school of emergency stoppage in the holding of classes, Philippine Air Force personnel deployed to clean up Sta Elena High School in Sta Elena, Marikina are shown ready to haul their subject – mounds of silt left by the historic flood. PAF continued fielding its personnel and equipment to assist other groups in one of the major post-disaster clean activities ever held in Metro Manila and nearby areas. (PIO, PAF PHOTO)



INTEROPERABILITY. Philippine Air Force personnel deployed to conduct disaster response operations showed seamless interoperability with other groups involved in mitigating the effects of Typhoon Ondoy to the affected residents and communities. Shown above are two different photographs of PAF airmen collaborating with firemen fielded by the Bureau of Fire Protection during an early morning clean up of Sta Elena High School in Sta Elena, Marikina today. (PIO, PAF PHOTO)

PAF rescue 713 victims, commit 8 helicopters to Ondoy efforts

Philippine Air Force disaster response operatives rescued 713 victims all over Metro Manila afterwhich it committed eight (8) helicopters in last weekend’s operation to save residents from the after effects of typhoon Ondoy, a report from Villamor Air Base revealed.

Lt. General Oscar H Rabena, PAF commanding general, said that their men began farming out to various points in the city as early as 1:30 PM Saturday when Ondoy was lashing through Metro Manila and nearby areas, adding that the rescuers initially combed Pasay, Makati and Paranaque where the M-35 military trucks transported residents trapped by the sudden rise in floodwaters as well as stranded commuters.

The rescuers could have done more if not for the traffic standstill that likewise trapped the military trucks, he added.

The PAF, however, fielded more vehicles, Rabena said, adding that they were left with no options but to do it, otherwise “we will effectively limit our service to the needy public, he added.” Two wrecker trucks and the smaller 1.25-tonner military trucks were likewise fielded to assist in clearing the road of stalled vehicles and to transport additional stranded citizens. On Sunday, the command committed eight helicopters to the efforts of both the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Department of National Defense to support all search and rescue efforts in the aftermath of the worst typhoon to hit the country in 40 years.

PAF airmen on board the fielded trucks alsoshowed quick decision making by transporting rubber boats and rescuers of other agencies along the way.

A team that was dispatched to help UERM evacuate patients from the flooded hospital encountered heavy floods in the vicinity of San Juan, Metro Manila where stalled vehicles made Aurora Boulevard virtually impassable. It was, however, able to maneuver out of deep waters and instead proceeded to lend support to a rescue effort at Araneta Avenue, one of the worst-hit residential areas in Quezon City.

The PAF rescuers literally soaked themselves in this operation, some reaching back Villamor Air Base at 9:00 AM Sunday, he said, adding that most of them though wet and hungry were in high spirits after rescuing the needy typhoon victims.

Last Sunday’s operation saw PAF rescuers reaching UST in Espana, Provident Village in Marikina and the flooded areas in Pasig.

We have also started sending out our planes to conduct aerial survey of typhoon areas, he said, adding that they may even airlift relief goods to inaccessible areas.

As of press time, the responding airmen are still under the orders of the National Disaster Coordinating Center as to where they will conduct search and rescue operations.

http://www.paf.mil.ph/HQ/PIO/PR%20SEPTEMBE...escue%20715.htm

Philippine Air Force personnel load boxes of relief goods into a Russian MI 171 helicopter for distribution to typhoon ravaged northern Luzon Thursday, Oct. 15, 2009, at the Philippine Air Force headquarters in Paranaque south of Manila, Philippines. The country will be seeking at least U.S. $1 billion from international donors for reconstruction after devastating back-to-back storms highlighted the country's vulnerability to climate change. (AP Photo/Pat Roque)



Philippine Air Force personnel load boxes of relief goods into a Russian MI 171 helicopter for distribution to typhoon ravaged northern Luzon Thursday, Oct. 15, 2009, at the Philippine Air Force headquarters in Paranaque south of Manila, Philippines.
(AP Photo/Pat Roque)



Russian crew members ® gather beside their MI 171 helicopter at the Villamor air base in Manila October 15, 2009, as they prepare to deliver boxes of relief goods to typhoon victims in Benguet province, north of the capital. The United Nations is raising $75 million to provide food and non-food aid to typhoon victims in the Philippines, weeks after the World Food Program started delivery of about $500,000 worth of rice and brought in 3 helicopters and 7 boats to help deliver food and relief materials to flooded areas. REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco (PHILIPPINES POLITICS ENVIRONMENT MILITARY DISASTER)



Philippine Air Force personnel load boxes of relief goods into a Russian MI 171 helicopter at the Villamor airbase in Manila October 15, 2009, for distribution to typhoon victims in Benguet province, north of the capital. REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco (PHILIPPINES POLITICS ENVIRONMENT MILITARY DISASTER)

Nice yan Mi17 na yan. Dapat makita ni Gloria that we need assets like that (at huwag na pasukan ng under the table deals). Salute to the PAF men and women. I-tap pa sila further to distribute more UN donations na nasa DSWD para wala nang reason yun pested DSWD secretary to say na walang mag-pack and distribute kasi kaya nasa warehouse lang.

As discussed in another thread (pdff.sytes.net/...showtopic=6668), the Mi-17 should be seriously considered with the P3 billion ($64M currently) set aside for eight new CUH (combat utility helicopters). With those funds, the PAF could get up to six of these notably bigger Mi-17 medium-lift helicopters instead of eight more Huey-class light helicopters.

No use pinning our hopes on the DND under Gibo "failed bidding" Teodoro but the next government should do the sensible thing and consider Mi-17s, which can carry more troops as well as cargo (including disaster relief supplies as illustrated above).
.

This post has been edited by tirad on Oct 24 2009, 02:07 PM

I will considered CH-46, UH-60 or NH-90 than MI-17