Photo courtesy of DSWD.
QUEZON CITY (PIA) — The United Arab Emirates (UAE), through its embassy in the Philippines, will be donating 33,000 boxes of family food packs (FFPs) to augment the relief efforts in areas hit by Severe Tropical Storm (STS) Kristine (Trami), the Department of Social Welfare and Development said.
DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian, together with Disaster Response and Management Group (DRMG) Undersecretary Diana Rose Cajipe and Special Envoy to UAE Trade and Investments Ma. Anna Kathryna Pimentel met with UAE Ambassador to the Philippines H.E. Mohammed Obaid Alzaabi and Emirates Red Crescent Chairman of the Board of Directors H.E. Dr. Hamdan Musallam Al Mazrouei on Oct. 29 to discuss the embassy’s plans to roll out humanitarian assistance in response to the widespread impact of Kristine in the Philippines.
The UAE Embassy is set to lead the deployment of critical relief supplies and prioritize delivery of food packs and drinking water in the regions that bore the brunt of Kristine, particularly the Bicol Region.
DSWD and its regional offices will lead the transport and distribution of the relief goods.
The DSWD said the first batch of the UAE donation is set to be carried out on Oct. 30, where 1,000 food boxes will be distributed to displaced families currently temporarily taking shelter at the Malanday Elementary School in Marikina following the onslaught of STS Kristine.
Pimentel said, “We express our sincere gratitude to His Excellency Dr. Hamdan Musallam Al Mazrouei, Chairman of the Red Crescent, through the efforts of UAE Ambassador to the Philippines, Ambassador Mohamed Alqattam Alzaabi, for their steadfast commitment to supporting the Filipino people during times of calamity.” (PIA DMD)
