VICE President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte personally awarded the heroism of four humanitarian and disaster K9 dogs, including Appa, who played a crucial role in search and rescue (SAR) operations in the Masara landslide tragedy that claimed a hundred lives.
Appa alongside his handler Coast Guard (CG) PO2 Alfie Baba received a bronze cross medal.
Appa stood out as a symbol of hope and strength amid the incident, following his discovery of the three-year-old girl beneath the rubble for more than 60 hours at Zone 1, Barangay Masara, Maco in Davao de Oro on February 9.
During the event held at the Coast Guard District Southeastern Mindanao (CGDSEM) on Wednesday, February 21, Duterte gave heartfelt thanks to all the K9 teams and their handlers for their selfless dedication to saving lives.
She highlighted how crucial it is to acknowledge the vital role the K9 dogs play, their instincts, and specialized training, which make them invaluable assets during disaster responses.
“Appa teaches us that anyone, regardless of labels, can make a difference. His courage reminds us to cherish our animal companions more. Today, it is my honor and privilege to recognize all the deserving Coast Guard personnel, including Appa,” Duterte said in a minute-long speech.
Based on the recent update from the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office of Maco (MDRRMO-Maco), the landslide on February 6 killed 98 individuals while nine are still missing.
Meanwhile, despite the announcement of zero chances of survival, the timeline as to when the search and retrieval operations will conclude has yet to be determined.
This was confirmed by the Incident Management Team (IMT) Commander of the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (MDRRMO) Engineer Ariel Capoy in the Masara press briefing earlier this week. DEF
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