The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) and the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Philippines on Friday provided food aid to 100 families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine lockdowns in Caloocan City.
The PRC, in partnership with the Chinese Embassy, provided food to 100 families in Barangay 177, Caloocan City.
“When disaster strikes, nations come together,” PRC Chairman and Senator Richard Gordon said. He noted that the continuous help of the Chinese Embassy during the pandemic is commendable.
“We thank the Chinese people for their generosity in giving needed support to the Philippine Red Cross,” Gordon said. “With this food aid, the Chinese people help the COVID-inflicted communities to get back up once again,” he added.
Each family received a food pack containing five kilos of rice, five packs of noodles, sardines, corned beef and meatloaf, and coffee sachets.
The food pack distribution was attended by officials from the Chinese Embassy including Ambassador Huang Xillian, Chief of Political Section Guo Xiaohan, Chief of Media Section Liu Yiqun, and Attache Zhao Yujian.
The PRC was represented by Secretary General Elizabeth Zavalla, Director of Disaster Management Services Leonardo Ebajo, PRC Caloocan Chapter Chairman of the Board Russel Ramirez, and Chapter Administrator Robert Dacles.
The Chinese Embassy has begun distributing goods through different channels, with PRC as one of the primary partners. PRC listed Brgy. 177 as the third most hit barangay in Caloocan, with the highest number of families in need of help. Two other barangays - Brgy. 18 and 35 - also received help from the Chinese Embassy.
Along with the PRC, the Chinese Embassy allocated P3.5 million worth of food packs and disaster management aid for the most vulnerable and affected communities in the country. A total of P500,000 was allocated for Caloocan City, with a target of assisting 500 families. The embassy aims to fulfill its target of supporting 3,500 families nationwide.
The PRC said the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China has substantially augmented its disaster management response capability through the years. In the aftermath of Typhoon "Yolanda," it gave three units of Foton Payloader and cash assistance of P4.3 million. The embassy also helped the PRC in responding to the damages brought by the Surigao earthquake in 2017, and typhoons "Lawin" and "Urduja" in 2016 and 2017, respectively.