As part of its ongoing support for the Philippines, particularly during times of crisis, the United Arab Emirates, through the Emirates Red Crescent (ERC), has once again extended humanitarian aid to the country in the wake of Typhoon Kristine.
On October 30, 33,000 family food packs arrived in the Philippines from the UAE, providing much-needed relief to families facing food insecurity in the aftermath of the typhoon.
The first distribution took place in Marikina City and benefited 1,000 families. It was led by Department of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rex Gatchalian, UAE Ambassador to the Philippines H.E. Mohamed Obaid Alzaabi, ERC Chairman H.E. Dr. Hamdan Musallam Al Mazrouei, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, and Special Envoy to the UAE Kathryna Yu Pimentel.
Additionally, over 30,000 family food packs will be distributed to the Bicol region, which was the hardest hit.
“The Authority’s modus operandi is to purchase essential supplies from local markets in the Philippines and oversee their distribution among the affected people in coordination with the UAE Embassy in Manila. Our teams are assessing the actual needs of the people and delivering the necessary supplies in order to mitigate the impact of the disaster,” Dr. Al Mazrouei was quoted as saying in a WAM report.
In her Facebook post, Yu Pimentel said: “We express our sincere gratitude to His Excellency Dr. Hamdan Musallam Al Mazrouei, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Red Crescent thru 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.”
According to reports, each family food pack includes six kilos of rice, four cans of tuna, four cans of corned beef, two cans of sardines, five sachets of coffee, and five sachets of cereal drink, providing enough food to sustain a family of five for two days.
