Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. lauded the Philippine Inter-Agency Humanitarian Contingent (PIAHC) for their rescue and relief mission in earthquake-hit Myanmar, praising their courage and compassion during a welcome ceremony at Villamor Air Base on Sunday night.
“Naipamalas po ninyo ang espiritu ng Pilipino na tumutulong sa kapwa at tumutulong lalong lalo na sa panahon ng pangangailangan,” Teodoro told the returning team. “The selflessness that you’ve shown, the professionalism that you have shown, is something that the Filipinos are very grateful for and are proud of.”
Teodoro thanked the team on behalf of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and the Filipino people, also expressing gratitude to God for their safe return.
The 89-member team, led by Philippine Air Force Lt. Col. Erwen Diploma, flew home aboard two C-130 planes after a two-week mission that began shortly after a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck Myanmar on March 28. The team included personnel from the PAF, Philippine Army, Bureau of Fire Protection, MMDA, DENR, and DOH’s Philippine Emergency Medical Assistance Team (PEMAT).
The DOH noted this was PEMAT’s first overseas deployment since being certified by the World Health Organization as a Type 1 Fixed-Post Emergency Medical Team in September 2024.
In Pyinmana, PEMAT set up a temporary facility that served over 1,000 patients, offering emergency medical treatment, care for non-communicable diseases like diabetes and hypertension, and psychosocial support to quake survivors.
“What we did in Myanmar wasn’t just about medication, it was about compassion and team work, and ‘yung belief po na health is a human right,” said PEMAT team lead Ivy Lozada.
DOH Secretary Teodoro Herbosa also commended the group, saying, “The team carried life-saving equipment and supplies and the warmth of the Filipino spirit of Bayanihan that is ready to heal, to help, and to stand in solidarity with those in distress.”
The mission demonstrated the Philippines’ readiness to provide humanitarian aid abroad and strengthened regional cooperation through unified inter-agency efforts.
