#RubyResponse: 2 C130 cargo planes bring relief to Samar

MANILA, Philippines – Two military C-130 cargo planes flew into the Visayas Monday morning, December 8, to bring relief to the victims of Typhoon Ruby (Hagupit) particularly in the island of Samar. (READ: Two C-130 planes will head to Samar after Ruby) 

One aircraft landed on Monday morning at the Borongan airport in Eastern Samar, where Typhoon Ruby made its first landfall. Another aircraft landed in Cebu, the hub of relief distribution, and will later fly into Borongan.

“The first C130 landed 10:30 am in Borongan. They have already set up the air controller. The Borongan airport is now open. We can already bring in disaster response teams and relief and relief items,” said Armed Forces chief General Gregorio Catapang Jr.

The Philippine Air Force aircraft came from Palawan and Zamboanga City, respectively. 

The other C130 aircraft that landed on Cebu immediately loaded relief goods from Cebu. Department of Social Welfare Secretary Corazon “Dinky” Soliman, who is leading the operations in the Cebu hub, is expected to join the C130 flight going into Borongan.

Catapang said the C-130 will be doing sorties between Borongan and Cebu to transport relief items. 

On Sunday, the Cebu port and the Tacloban airports were also opened to facilitate distribution of relief items.

The Catarman airport in Northern Samar has been opened while clearing operations are ongoing in the airports of Catbalogan in Samar and Guiuan in Eastern Samar, said Catapang. – Rappler.com