BORACAY ISLAND, Aklan—The Embassy of the People’s Republic of China to the Philippines recently donated an ambulance unit to a rescue group based in this resort island.
Chinese Counselor and Consul General Lou Gang, who led the turnover of the ambulance unit to the Boracay Fire Rescue and Ambulance Volunteers (BFRAV), said this is one way of showing their support to the island.
“Boracay is the [top] destination for Chinese tourists visiting the Philippines. We hope that [the ambulance] will benefit not just the Chinese but other tourists of the island, as well,” the official said.
The consul general is also optimistic that China will soon become the foremost country with the number of visiting nationals in Boracay.
“China and Philippines are on very good terms. We are expecting that more Chinese tourists [will come] to this beautiful island,” he emphasized.
Records from the Malay Municipal Tourism Office showed that China remains on the second spot in terms of foreign arrivals from January to June, with 174,064 arrivals. This is close to that of South Korea, which topped the list at 175,470.
Meanwhile, Rear Adm. Leonard Tirol, founder and CEO of BFRAV, said the new ambulance is “a big help on the rescue operation on the island on times of emergencies”.
The new vehicle is an addition to the three ambulances of the round-the-clock rescue group.
BFRAV was awarded as the second-best volunteer organization in the country during the 18th Gawad Kalasag (Kalamidad at Sakuna Labanan, Sariling Galing ang Kaligtasan), a recognition given by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.