Philippine Army troops join the ongoing 3rd Japan-Philippine Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response (HADR) Cooperation Project in Tokyo.

Col. Louie Dema-ala, Philippine Army public affairs chief said 12 members of the Philippine Army's 525th Engineer Combat Battalion of the Combat Engineer Regiment were sent to Japan to participate in the HADR Cooperation Project with Japan Ground Self Defense Force held from March 3 to 9, 2024.

"The cooperation project is aimed at mutually enhancing the HADR capabilities of the Philippine Army and JGSDF on various disasters by sharing knowledge, good practices and lessons learned. It focuses mainly on four disaster types which include volcanic eruption, tsunami, earthquake and flood," he said.

During their visit in Tokyo, the Philippine Army delegates also "rendered a courtesy call on Maj. Gen. Norimichi Shirakawa, JGSDF’s Director General of the Policy and Programs Department."

He said the Philippine delegates "provided an update on the status of the Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response (HADR) equipment donated by the Japanese government in 2021, highlighting its utilization during the Search and Retrieval Operation after the 7.2-magnitude quake that hit Turkey on February 2023 and the recent HADR efforts for landslide victims at Barangay Masara, Maco, Davao De Oro on early February 2024."

Dema-ala said the 2nd iteration of the HADR Cooperation Project in 2023 which was hosted by the Philippine Army was "participated by search, rescue and retrieval (SRR) teams from the 525th (Engineer Combat Battalion) ECBn, 51st (Engineering Brigade) EBde, the observers from selected Philippine Army Major Units as well as the reservists." Robina Asido/DMS