His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan UAE President ordered to send in 24 hours humanitarian aid to the Philippines.
The humanitarian aid is to support the Philippine government efforts in disaster preparedness and response. The humanitarian flight contains up to 50 tons of food and medicine.
The government of the United Arab Emirates has donated some 50 tons of different kinds of food items intended for Albay province residents who are most affected by the heightening unrest of Mayon Volcano.
The UAE’s food shipment on board an Etihad Airways plane arrived early morning of Monday (June 12) at the Terminal 2 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
Department of Social Welfare and Development Secretary (DSWD) Rex Gatchalian, along with Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benhur Abalos, Department of Transportation (DoTr) Secretary Jaime Bautista and DSWD Undersecretary Dianne Cajipe, received the food and medicine donation from the UAE government.
“We thank the UAE government and the Royal family for their generosity in sending the much-needed humanitarian aid for those affected by Mayon’s volcanic activities,” Secretary Gatchalian said.
The DSWD chief said His Excellency Mohamed Obaid Salem Alqataam Alzaabi, UAE Ambassador to the Philippines, requested the sending of the humanitarian aid from his government amid the forced evacuations in Albay province due to the possible eruption of Mt. Mayon.
The UAE President, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, immediately ordered the shipment of 50 tons of humanitarian aid to the Philippines within 24 hours.
“The UAE’s interior minister, who is a personal friend of DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos, also helped in the swift arrival of the humanitarian aid,” the DSWD secretary said.
Upon confirmation of the date and time of arrival of the UAE government’s humanitarian aid, Ambassador Alzaabi reached out to the DILG secretary, who alerted Secretary Gatchalian for the acceptance of the donation.
The UAE’s humanitarian aid is to support the Philippine government’s efforts in disaster preparedness and response. The humanitarian flight contains up to 50 tons of food and medicine, according to the DSWD chief.
“Ang role ng DSWD, in 24 hours naman ay maipadala sa Mayon ang mga goods na ito…Sa Miyerkules ng umaga nasa kamay na ito ng mga kababayan natin na biktima ng Mayon,” Secretary Gatchalian told reporters at the NAIA Terminal 2.
Secretary Gatchalian said an additional 38,000 family food packs (FFPs) were turned over Sunday to the DSWD Bicol regional office which will be good for 15 days.
“Nag-utos ang Pangulo kahapon (June 11), nag-usap kami noong umaga, na puwede ring pumasok sa financial assistance . Ide-determine pa namin ng provincial government kung magkano,” the DSWD chief said.#
