Plane carrying supplies and men prepare to head for quake stricken Myanmar. (file photo)

Members of the Philippine team who will conduct humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations in Myanmar board a C-130 aircraft at Colonel Jesus Villamor Air Base in Pasay City. The contingent will assist in search and rescue operations following the magnitude 7.7 earthquake in Myanmar last March 28. Philippine Air Force

Health Secretary Ted Herbosa said the first batch of the Philippine contingent that was sent to Myanmar to provide assistance following a devastating magnitude 7.7 earthquake.

The DOH chief said the 91 Filipino volunteers, Herbosa said 32 came from the DOH Philippine Emergency Medical Assistance Team (PEMAT), will be able to sustain itself in the next two weeks.

This batch’s PEMAT, who were certified by the World Health Organization (WHO), came from the Eastern Visayas Medical Center, is composed of doctors, nurses, medical technologists, pharmacists, midwives, nursing attendants, and administrative, logistics, and technical staff.

“Usually ang kanilang equipment, self-sustaining, good for two weeks. Kung kailangan mag-extend, magre-resupply tayo or magpapalit,” Herbosa said.

“That’s why meron tayong two other teams na naka-standby para hindi masyadong matagal ang ating mga volunteer doctors and nurses doon sa isang disaster area,” he added.

Aside from the medical team, the Philippine contingent for the Myanmar mission also consists of urban search and rescue teams from the Philippine Army, Philippine Air Force, Bureau of Fire Protection, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and the private sector (EDC and APEX Mining).

The death toll in Myanmar following the magnitude 7.7 earthquake last March 28 has reached 2,065, according to state media. More than 3,900 were injured and at least 270 were missing.

There were four Filipinos who were also reportedly unaccounted for.