Martin asked me if I had contact with the US Embassy because his immediate assessment was that the massive damage was simply too much that it would require airlifts for rescue units to reach the worst hit barangays, and that airdrops would be the fastest way to deliver relief items and goods most especially to hard-to-reach areas. I patched Martin in a conference call to the US Embassy Military Attaché – Air Force Col. Rick Matton – who advised us they would need a formal request from the Philippine government. A friend at the DFA told me that the national government was hesitant to ask for assistance and was waiting for the US to offer help. Clearly in cases like Super Typhoon Yolanda, it’s obvious that waiting was not an option — this was a matter of life and death. In any case, Congressman Romualdez offered to write the letter himself using his congressional letterhead and luckily, the USS George Washington happened to be at Victoria Harbor in Hong Kong. Oh my, Lord.
Posted on: Sun, 17 Nov 2013 10:59:16 +0000
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