PH team sent to Myanmar ‘self-sustaining’ for two weeks — Herbosa

The first batch of the Philippine contingent that was sent to Myanmar to provide assistance following a devastating magnitude 7.7 earthquake will be able to sustain itself in the next two weeks, Health Secretary Ted Herbosa said Tuesday.

Of the 91 Filipino volunteers, Herbosa said 32 came from the DOH Philippine Emergency Medical Assistance Team (PEMAT), who were certified by the World Health Organization (WHO).

This batch’s PEMAT, which came from the Eastern Visayas Medical Center, is composed of doctors, nurses, medical technologists, pharmacists, midwives, nursing attendants, and administrative, logistics, and technical staff.

“Usually ang kanilang equipment, self-sustaining, good for two weeks. Kung kailangan mag-extend, magre-resupply tayo or magpapalit,” Herbosa said in a "Balitanghali" interview.

(Usually their equipment is self-sustaining and is good for two weeks. If their stay there needs to be extended, we have to resupply or replace them with another team.)

"That’s why meron tayong two other teams na naka-standby para hindi masyadong matagal ang ating mga volunteer doctors and nurses doon sa isang disaster area,” he added.

(That's why we have two other teams on standby so that our volunteer doctors and nurses won't have to spend a long time in a disaster area.)

Aside from the medical team, the Philippine contingent for the Myanmar mission also consists of urban search and rescue teams from the Philippine Army, Philippine Air Force, Bureau of Fire Protection, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and the private sector (EDC and APEX Mining).

The death toll in Myanmar following the magnitude 7.7 earthquake last March 28 has reached 2,065, according to state media. More than 3,900 were injured and at least 270 were missing.

There were four Filipinos who were also reportedly unaccounted for. — Giselle Ombay/BAP, GMA Integrated News