PRESIDENT Arroyo yesterday ordered the
sending of a 15-member medical team to China to help the Chinese
government in relief operations following a magnitude 7.9
earthquake in Sichuan province last May 12 that resulted in the
death of nearly 10,000.
Deputy presidential spokesman Anthony Golez
said Arroyo ordered the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC)
to send the team as soon as possible. He said the health and
foreign affairs departments and the Armed Forces of the
Philippines (AFP) are meeting on it.
Sen. Richard Gordon, concurrent chair of the
Philippine National Red Cross, said they will send their own
medical team. He said they are still deciding on who will be on
the team as they are looking for some skills that will be useful
to the Chinese. "(We are) mobilizing a team of doctors and
nurses who speak Chinese, as well as, a rescue truck," he said.
He said they are now coordinating the
deployment of the team with Chinese embassy officials.
Golez said the Chinese embassy would decide
where the Philippine medical team would go. He said a medical
team sent by the health department would normally have 12-15
members including pediatricians and psychiatrists and even
sanitary engineers.
"Every time we have disasters in the country,
it only takes hours for China to send help. This is one way to
reciprocate their generosity and kindness to the Filipino
people...As soon as the DFA gives the go-signal we will mobilize
for China," Golez said.
Department Foreign Affairs spokesperson Claro
Cristobal, quoting Philippine consul general in Guangzhou City
Shulan Prima-vera, said none of the 397 Filipinos working in
Sichuan were killed or hurt in the midday quake, reportedly the
worst to hit China in 30 years. Primavera's report was based on
information gathered from the Chengdu Foreign Affairs Office and
from initial accounts of Filipinos working in Chengdu.
Most of the OFWs working Sichuan and based in
Chengdu are teachers, engineers, technicians, and music band
members.
Cristobal said the consulate and the
Philippine embassy in Beijing are continuing to monitor the
situation and coordinating with authorities in the affected
provinces.
Malacañang meanwhile said the 15-member Philippine medical
team that is supposed to go to cyclone-ravaged Myanmar has not
yet left due to lack of visas.- Regina Bengco, Gerard
Naval and Job Realubit
