USAF lends C-130 to PAF

Joins Relief Run to Davao

December 10, 2012

The US Department of Defense, through  the U.S. Department of Defense Overseas Humanitarian, Disaster, and Civic Aid program, has lent two (2) US C-130J aircraft based in Okinawa, Japan with US Marine Forces compliments from Pacific Command (PACOM) for temporary deployment to Manila to transport relief goods to Davao upon request of the Philippine government.

The two USAF C-130 planes arrived Saturday in Manila loaded with at least 270,000 pounds of emergency supplies valued at $3 million dollars intended for provinces ravaged by typhoon "Pablo. It loaded more relief goods in Manila before proceeding to Davao International Airport early Sunday to augment relief run by two C-130's of the Philippine Air Force.

The US Department of Defense said it will continue the mission through the week. The relief fund came from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

The US C-130s carried Water purification systems from Okinawa, and 76,000 pounds of food supplies from the World Food Program. Subsequent flights carried relief goods from the Philippines Department of Social Welfare Office (DSWD).

Meanwhile, the US Joint Special Operations Task Force-Philippines has been mobilized to conduct relief operations in the devastated areas of Compostela Valley and Davao Provinces in Mindanao with the assistance of their Filipino military counterpart.

AFP spokesperson Col. Arnulfo M. Burgos Jr., said the United States paid for the fuel, maintenance and flying costs of the two C-130's while ferrying relief goods to Davao while the Philippine military secures the American aircraft.