THE Philippine Air Force (PAF) is tapping two private groups, including the Makati Medical Center (MMC), for the Public-Private Partnership for Rescue and Emergency Preparedness (PPPREPared) project.
The PPPREPared is primarily formed to respond to the so-called “Big One,” or the feared magnitude 7.2 earthquake caused by a movement of the West Valley Fault traversing Metro Manila which may strike any time based on historical data. The Pilipinas 911 is also included in the group.
The MMC through its foundation – the Makati Medical Center Foundation (MMCF) – will provide doctors, nurses, medicines and medical equipment to the PAF, particularly the 505th Search and Rescue based at the Air Force City in Clark Freeport, Pampanga.
The MMC is one of the hospitals controlled by Manuel V. Pangilinan, MMCF chairman.
Mary Margaret M. Barro, MMCF executive director, said: “We are grateful for the 100% support of not only the MMC Foundation Chairman Manuel V Pangilinan but also the rest of the trustees.
“We are continually working and training our teams tom respond quickly in times of disaster. We are fortunate to be in partnership with local and foreign organizations who continue to share their resources with the team,” added Barro, who joined the meeting in Clark last week.
“Disasters – whether natural or man made – seem to be the normal and these calamities always seem to require resources that are far larger than what each of our organizations can offer,” she said in a statement.
“Thus we thought it best to come together – the Makati Medical Center Foundation, Pilipinas 911 and the Philippines Air Force, particularly the 505th Search and Rescue Group- join forces and multiply our resources.”
“This way, we hope to be able to better respond to disasters and calamities that will come our way at some point in time,” it added.