FOR foreign governments like Taiwan, the United States, the European Union (EU) and Japan, there is no letup in extending help to Filipinos stricken by calamities, even if news headlines no longer dominate the plight of those affected.
The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (Teco), the de facto embassy of Taiwan in Manila, recently donated $200,000 to the province of Abra, which was affected most by last month’s North Luzon quake.
Representative Michael Peiyung Hsu of Teco handed over the check early this month to his counterpart, Manila Economic and Cultural Office Representative Silvestre Bello III. Also in attendance was Governor Dominic Valera of Abra.
Hsu said Taiwan, just like the Philippines, also sits along the “Pacific Ring of Fire,” and can relate to the suffering of Filipinos during major disasters. He assured that when an earthquake of the same strength hits anywhere in the world, they always provide help.
Valera and Bello thanked Taiwan for its “goodwill and concern.”
Assistance in the aftermath
IN view of their strong cooperation on humanitarian assistance and disaster response, the Philippines received a donation from the Japanese government through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) on August 2 for survivors of the recent earthquake in Northern Philippines.
The donation included camping tents, sleeping pads, generators, plastic sheets, and water containers, according to the Japanese Embassy.
Present during the turnover ceremony for the donations were Ambassador Kazuhiko Koshikawa, JICA Chief Representative Takema Sakamoto, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Civilian Security and Consular Affairs Jesus Domingo, and Social Welfare and Development Assistant Secretary for Special Projects Rommel Lopez.
At least 11 people were killed and 410 were injured by a magnitude-7.0 earthquake on July 27. A total of 48,477 people were displaced across the Cordillera and Ilocos regions.
EU extends assistance
IN Siargao Island, where Supertyphoon Odette (international name Rai) almost wiped out the entire surfing capital, Ambassador Luc Véron of the EU visited the bloc’s humanitarian and development projects there.
One of its projects is the construction of a multipurpose learning space in Caridad Elementary School in the town of Pilar. Under its “Education in Emergencies” program, children were able to go back to school while their parents continued to rebuild their communities. Shelter repair, water, sanitation and hygiene, as well as protection-related interventions, were also provided.
“I commend our humanitarian-aid workers for their relentless and altruistic effort in providing the most urgent humanitarian assistance to the communities in Siargao,” said Véron. His mission also coincided with the celebration of World Humanitarian Day, which is celebrated every August 19.
The EU envoy also led a ceremony to highlight a project that provides round-the-clock renewable-energy access to four remote communities in Anajawan Island. Implemented by the World Wide Fund for Nature or WWF, the ”Solar Community-Based Island Tourism and Livelihood Energizer Platform” also develops sustainable ecotourism opportunities, while helping mitigate impacts of climate change.
Women fisherfolk were also targeted under another EU’s project in Sitio Campinganon, Barangay Maribojoc. The project, “Enhancing Women Fishers’ Livelihood Opportunities in 34 Coastal Barangays of Siargao Island Protected Landscape and Seascape Women-Managed Areas,” aims to promote women-led enterprises and women fishers’ active participation in the local management of protected areas.
Being better prepared
THE Embassy of the United States, meanwhile, donated disaster relief tents and medical supplies worth P1.6 million ($30,000) to help better prepare the province of Palawan with humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
Philippine Coast Guard and US sailors from the hospital ship USNS Mercy delivered tents and supplies to the provincial government of Palawan during a ceremony in Puerto Princesa.
The ship’s crew joined Pacific Partnership 2022—the largest annual multilateral humanitarian-assistance and disaster-preparedness exercise in the Indo-Pacific.