Image Source: https://focustaiwan.tw/
Taiwan has sent two military aircraft to deliver 10 metric tons of emergency supplies over the Christmas weekend to the Philippines to help the Southeast Asian country recover from the devastation caused by Super Typhoon Rai.
The two military C-130 aircraft departed from southern Pingtung Air Base to Mactan-Cebu International Airport on late Saturday and early Sunday respectively, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said in a press release.
The two aircraft carried a total of 10 metric tons of emergency supplies, including food rations, cookies, instant noodles, bottled water, canned food, and portable water filters, stated the press release.
The supplies were donated by the Taiwan government, according to MOFA.
Taiwan’s top envoy to Manila, Michael Hsu (徐佩勇), was at the airport to receive the supplies and would soon hand them over to the Philippines’ National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), it said.
“MOFA would like to express our sympathy and condolences to those affected, and hope that the country makes a speedy recovery,” it added.
Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) said in a tweet that the super typhoon had caused destruction and heavy casualties in the Philippines.
“It ruined Christmas for many and hit us hard too as we truly care about our Filipino brothers and sisters. Fortunately, Taiwan’s ROCAF C-130 flew in supplies quickly. Hang in there, more are coming,” he tweeted. ROCAF stands for Republic of China Air Force. The ROC refers to Taiwan’s official name.
Meanwhile, on late Saturday, Philippine Air Force announced the arrival of one of Taiwan’s planes carrying relief supplies on social media.
In the post published on the Facebook page of its Air Mobility Command, Philippine Air Force said it welcomed the Taiwan C-130 aircraft that was bringing relief goods for the victims of Super Typhoon Odette, the name used by the Philippines to refer to Rai.
The relief supplies from Taiwan are expected to benefit the victims of Super Typhoon Odette in the provinces of Cebu, Bohol, and Negros Oriental, said the post.
In photos released by Philippine Air Force, Taiwanese pilots are seen holding Taiwan’s national flag and posing with Philippine officials who helped to unload the supplies from the C-130.
The delivery of supplies was made days after Taiwan donated US$500,000 on Dec. 22 to the Philippines to help the Southeast Asian country recover from the devastation caused by Super Typhoon Rai.
The natural disaster has resulted in 378 deaths, 742 injuries, and 60 missing, with nearly four million people affected in the Philippines, according to Philippine government numbers.
Taiwan military C-130s had also been used for a similar disaster relief mission to the Philippines in 2013 after it had been hit by Typhoon Haiyan.
Story Source: https://focustaiwan.tw/society/202112260005
