By Priam Nepomuceno

RELIEF MISSION. Philippine Air Force and Army personnel, together with other civilian volunteers, unload boxes of relief goods from a “Black Hawk” helicopter in this undated photo. The PAF earlier said that its aircraft conducted a series of aerial relief missions for northern Luzon communities hit by the recent series of typhoons. (Photo courtesy of the PAF)

MANILA – Philippine Air Force (PAF) helicopters and cargo aircraft carried out aerial relief missions to communities struck by recent typhoons in northern Luzon.

In a statement Thursday, PAF spokesperson Col. Ma. Consuelo Castillo said their Tactical Operations Wing Northern Luzon and Tactical Operations Group 2 airlifted boxes of relief supplies from the Department of Social Welfare and Development to hard-to-reach areas in Isabela and Cagayan provinces on Nov. 12 and 13.

“Utilizing two ‘Black Hawk’ helicopters from the PAF’s Air Mobility Command, 1,000 boxes of family food packs were transported to the hard-to-reach coastal areas of Maconacon, Isabela, while 1,650 boxes of relief supplies were delivered to the islands of Fuga and Calayan in Cagayan,” she added.

A C-130 cargo plane also conducted multiple sorties to transport relief packs to Basco, Batanes.

“On the ground, troops from the Air Force, Philippine Army, Philippine National Police, Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine Marine Corps, and civilian volunteers worked hand-in-hand in loading and unloading the relief supplies,” Castillo said. (PNA)