By BIN Staff | 04:05 PM June 28, 2020
A Medical Team from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) was deployed in Cebu City today, June 28, 2020 (Sunday).
The AFP Medical Team is composed of 10 military doctors, 10 miltary nurses and 13 aide men to augment Cebu City’s medical forces in addressing the COVID-19 situation there.
The AFP Medical Team arrived at the Mactan Airbase this morning and was then transported to Headquarters, Central Command.
Their deployment stemmed from the joint request of Secretary Michael Dino, the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas (OPAV), Department of Health-Region 7, IATF Cebu and Lt. Gen. Roberto Ancan, Commander, CENTCOM AFP, to provide assistance to Cebu City.
They were welcomed by CENTCOM officials and Dr. Jaime Bernadas, the regional director of the Department of Health Region 7 (DOH-7).
Respectively, with the IATF’s focus of intervention in Cebu, the AFP, through AFP’s JTF Care led by Maj Ryan Morla MC sent a contingent of medical doctors to increase the health system capacity of Cebu in handling the growing number of COVID-19 cases.
“Central Command under the leadership of Lt. Gen. Ancan is not only focused on bringing security and transportation of basic goods to communities but also on providing health and medical services as a top priority,” the press statement from Centcom said.
“Being here alone is a hard role to take. But thankfully our selflessness and love for our country comes to picture. The current situation calls us to act as one. This pandemic is teaching us that no man is an island. We cannot fight this battle alone. The work gets easier when we are working hand in hand. Let’s take part by following the basic health protocols to keep ourselves safe from the virus. As the saying goes, together we stand against it makes us stronger towards it. But if we are not, divided we could fall. Always remember that our safety is our own responsibility and it should start from ourselves at home,” Ancan said.
Ancan thanked the medical team for “heeding the call of duty”.
“We need your medical expertise against our fight on COVID-19. Let us help each other against this corona virus. As what I always express, if you want to walk alone, walk fast. But if you want to walk farther, let us walk together. Thank you very much for your support in addressing the medical aspects in Cebu City. Welcome and we still have a lot more to do. In God’s perfect time, our country will heal as one,” he added.
