A Doa Kesyukuran ceremony was held yesterday to mark the safe return of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) contingent from the recently concluded Badai Taduh operation, a humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) mission in the Philippines.
The contingent, led by Lieutenant Colonel (U) Mohammad Azmi bin Haji Afflon, returned to the Sultanate on November 5.
Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Defence II Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Awang Haji Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof attended the ceremony and presented certificates of participation to the contingent members.
Commander of the RBAF Major General Dato Paduka Seri Haji Muhammad Haszaimi bin Bol Hassan and Philippines Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam Marian Jocelyn R Tirol-Ignacio were also present.
The Badai Taduh operation contingent was deployed from October 27 to November 5 to provide humanitarian assistance to the residents of the affected areas in the Philippines following Tropical Storm Kristine.
The mission reflected the Ministry of Defence’s (MinDef) steadfast commitment to HADR operations in the region, aligned with the Defence White Paper 2021. It underscored a proactive stance in disaster management and the importance of fostering collaboration among regional nations.
By undertaking this mission, the MinDef reinforces its strategic objectives and contributes to a broader regional framework aimed at promoting resilience and cooperation in the face of disasters. – Fadhil Yunus
