22 November 2013 - The Indonesian Government sent its first sortie of  three (3) Indonesian Air Force C-130 Hercules cargo aircraft which ferried some 36.6 tons of relief goods for the victims of super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) in Tacloban, Eastern Samar, Cebu, and other parts of Central Visayas on November 14.

The 36.6 tons of relief items such as food supplies (ready-to-eat packs), medicines, generator sets, and blankets were part of the 75 tons of supplies for the typhoon victims. Much as the Tacloban Airport was just put into operations at that time, the C-130 crew preferred to land at the Mactan International Airport in Cebu.

North Sulawesi Governor Dr. Sinyo Harry Sarundajang stated that although Indonesians mostly living in Mindanao are safe, Indonesia, North Sulawesi in particular, being a close neighbor to the Philippines, feels the need to extend relief assistance to the typhoon victims to alleviate their plight in this hour of need.

At the airport to send-off the first IAF sortie were: Colonel Ferdinand Roring, Commanding Officer of the Sam Ratulangi Air Force Base in Manado (Danlanudri); Philippine Consul General to Manado Jose de la Rosa Burgos; Dr. Junjungan Tambunan, Director of the National Disaster Management Bureau (BNPB); Mr. Sunardi, Director of Logistics of BNPB; and other local and airport officials. END