THE Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) facilitated the official turnover of two sets of donations, in cash and in-kind, from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, through the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KS Relief) by way of the Department of Health (DOH), on May 19.
The donation is part of the kingdom’s commitment in securing and distributing aid to the victims of the Marawi siege, as well as in working with the Philippines in responding against the pandemic.
The cash aid amounting to $1.5 million aims to support the development of health facilities in Marawi City, Lanao del Sur; particularly, the installation of medical equipment and training of medical personnel.
The in-kind donation worth $1.7 million comprised of medical and personal protective equipment such as surgical and nonsterile surgical gowns, KN95 and surgical masks and nitrile gloves, on top of 53 ventilators that arrived weeks ago. They have been partially distributed to their identified recipients, aimed to support the response measures of the Philippine government against the health crisis.
In turn, the DOH awarded a certificate of appreciation to the Saudi Arabian Embassy and the KS Relief for their general contributions in improving local Covid-19 response operations and emerging infectious diseases-testing capacities.
Acting Secretary of Foreign Affairs Lourdes Yparraguirre, Ambassador Hisham Alqahtani, Health Undersecretary Leopoldo Vega, Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary for Middle East and African Affairs Alfonso Ver, Assistant Health Secretary Romeo Ong, and KS Relief Director Dr. Abdullah Saleh Almoallem graced the event. It was also attended by Dr. Shalimar Rakiin, chief of the Amai Pakpak Medical Center—a beneficiary of the donation. Representatives from the DFA, the DOH, and the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Manila were likewise in attendance.
Image credits: DFA-OPCD/Maria Vanessa Ubac