CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga — Days after being rescued from rising floodwaters in Sto. Tomas, Pampanga, members of the non-profit organization Ripples of Hope returned to Camp Captain Julian Olivas — not to seek assistance, but to personally thank the police personnel who helped bring them and their loved ones to safety.
Ripples of Hope, a non-profit organization that promotes community engagement and action through philanthropy, was among those assisted by personnel of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 3 (RMFB3), led by P/Lt. Col. Edilmar G. Alviar, during rescue operations at the height of the flooding in Sto. Tomas.
Among those evacuated was a woman accompanied by her minor child and her mother, who is undergoing treatment for cancer. Their circumstances made the need for immediate and safe evacuation even more urgent as floodwaters continued to rise.
Responding to the emergency, RMFB3 personnel assisted the group out of the flooded area and brought them to safety. Despite Camp Olivas itself being affected by flooding, the rescued individuals were provided temporary shelter at the PRO3 Grandstand.
Days after the ordeal, members of Ripples of Hope returned to Camp Olivas to personally express their gratitude to the police personnel who responded to their call for help. They also brought food packs for PRO3 personnel—a simple gesture of appreciation for those who continued to serve despite being affected by the same disaster.
For PRO3, the visit carried a meaning far beyond the food they brought. It served as a reminder that behind every rescue operation, deployment, and emergency response are people and families whose lives are directly affected by police service.
PRO3 Regional Director P/Brig. Gen. Jess B. Mendez thanked the members of Ripples of Hope for their thoughtful gesture and commended the RMFB3 personnel for responding when the community needed them most.
“Our personnel responded because it was their duty, but gestures like this remind us why that duty matters. In times of disaster, bringing even one person or one family to safety gives greater meaning to the work of our police personnel. More than responding to an emergency, we are protecting lives and making sure our people know that they are not alone in difficult times,” Mendez said. (UnliNews Online)
