BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) has vowed to conduct a deeper investigation into a recent plane crash in Isabela.
CAAP spokesman Eric Apolonio said probers would collect pieces of evidence at the crash site to determine the cause of the mishap that killed the pilot and his passenger.
Investigators will retrieve the plane’s emergency locator transmitter, engine and propeller, which are vital in determining the cause of the crash.
On Sunday, a K9 tracker team spotted the remains of passenger Emma Escalante some 200 meters away from the cr ash site.
The remains of the pilot, Capt. Levy Abul II, were found near the crash site on Dec. 7.
The plane took off from the Cauayan Airport in Isabela at 9:30 a.m. on Nov. 30.
It did not reach the Palanan Airport, where it was expected to land after an hour.
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Social Welfare and Development has released more than P57.3 million in assistance to earthquake victims in Mindanao, according to DSWD Assistant Secretary for legislative affairs Irene Dumlao.
The assistance included food and non-food items that were distributed to families and persons displaced by the quake.
“Our DSWD field offices continue to haul and deliver family food packs to affected municipalities,” Dumlao said.
She gave assurance that the DSWD’s Disaster Response Management Bureau is coordinating with its regional counterparts regarding updates and requests for relief augmentation.
Data showed a total of 949,499 family food packs are available at the DSWD disaster response centers as well as in its field offices nationwide including Caraga and Davao regions.
Dumlao said the agency is maintaining more than P2.7 billion in standby funds, and has prepositioned relief items that could be tapped any time for disaster response operations.
MANILA, Philippines — A week after a bomb attack killed four persons and wounded dozens of others during a Catholic mass at the Mindanao State University (MSU) in Marawi, students returned to classes yesterday amid tight security and heightened police and military presence.
In a memorandum released on Dec. 7, MSU president Basari Mapupuno said the decision to resume classes “ensures the continuity and stability of the academic and professional pursuit of the student body.”
Mapupuno said the resumption of onsite classes at the MSU was made possible in coordination with the military, the police and the city and provincial governments of Marawi and Lanao del Sur, respectively.
University officials, faculty union heads and student leaders were also consulted on the matter, Mapupuno said.
The memorandum authorized the increased presence of military, police and peacekeeping forces on campus, the university said.
State forces and K9 teams will regularly inspect university offices, classrooms and buildings to ensure the safety of everyone.
“We urge everyone to cooperate with our security personnel and report any suspicious activity immediately. Your vigilance and cooperation are vital in ensuring the safety and well-being of everyone on campus,” Mapupuno said.
The university and the provincial government provided transportation to students who returned to campus from the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Pagadian as well as Malabang town.
Up to 1,948 students, who are officially enrolled this semester, returned to their home provinces after the bomb attack.