US Company Donates Equipment to Baybay City LGU

Baybay City LGU pays only for the shipping cost and other incidental expenses of the equipment which will be used to bring back things better during disaster and in times of emergency

The ambulance donated by the AM-PHIL EQUIPMENT AND LOGISTICS after it was re-painted by the Baybay City LGU

The Local Government Unit of the City of Baybay was the first to have the opportunity to receive equipment from AM-PHIL EQUIPMENT AND LOGISTICS, LLC in the United States of America (USA).

According to the Deed of Donation signed by the President and CEO of the AM-PHIL EQUIPMENT AND LOGISTICS, Oliver T. Lagare in New York on September 21, 2016, the donation consist of the following: one (1) unit U.S. used BULLDOZER diesel model (either Caterpillar, Komatsu or Hitachi); one (1) unit used AMBULANCE Model Ford E350 diesel; three (3) units new inflatable boat with outboard gasoline engine 2 to 3 HP; twenty (20) units First Aid Medical Kit; ten (10) units new life jackets; five (5) units new outdoor tent for temporary shelter in time of calamity and two (2) units new portable chain saw for tree clearing operation.

As of this December 19, 2016, the city had already received the ambulance, the outdoor tents and inflatable boats, but excluding the engine yet. “The soonest all the documents required for the donation are complied with, AM-PHIL EQUIPMENT AND LOGICTICS will send the rest of the equipment indicated in the deed of donation,” said City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (CDRRM) Officer, Dr. Rommel Gonzaga.

According to Dr. Gonzaga, the donated equipment will facilitate the disaster response activities of the city’s CDRRM Office, “The program of activities of the CDRRMO is based on four (4) thematic areas.  These include Prevention and Mitigation, Preparedness, Response and Recovery and Rehabilitation.  The donated equipment will be used by the CDRRMO particularly in its disaster response. For example, in areas where there will be landslide due to heavy rains, the city need not borrow a bulldozer from the Province of Leyte and wait until it is available because it already has its own.”

It could be recalled that Section 2 (k) of Republic Act 10121 or the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010 states that Disaster Prevention means the provision of emergency services and public assistance during or immediately after a disaster in order to save lives, reduce health impacts, ensure public safety and meet the basic needs of the people affected.  Disaster response is predominantly focused on immediate and short-term needs and is sometimes called disaster-relief.

Dr. Gonzaga added, “Though we always pray that we won’t be able to use the said equipment in disaster response, it’s good to know that we already have one of our own just in case we will need one.”

The CDRRM Officer of the Baybay City revealed that according to Mr. Lagare, the AM-PHIL EQUIPMENT AND LOGISTICS still has equipment that are due for donation to other interested LGUs.  “This is a once in a life time chance for LGUs thus I hope that the other DRRM Offices will grab this opportunity to have equipment that they can use for disaster response and in times of emergency,” he added.

Lastly, Dr. Gonzaga said that the total charges for the freight and handling of the said donation amounted to TWO MILLION FOUR HUNDRED EIGTHY THOUSAND PESOS (Php2,480,000.00). The city had already paid half of this amount to the AM-PHIL EQUIPMENT AND LOGISTICS. (Marissa Miguel Cano, City Information Officer III)

###