The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Richard Gordon commended the contribution of the Australian government to PRC's Covid-19 response operations.
In a luncheon meeting on Thursday, July 7, Gordon also acknowledged Australia's support for the timely establishment of the PRC molecular laboratory in Port Area, Manila
That is the largest molecular laboratory in the Philippines, PRC said in a statement.
It was set up in 2020 after the government declared a community quarantine in the country's capital region.
PRC added that Australia was also one of the first to donate negative-pressure ambulance units to them.
It is being used in transporting patients with contagious diseases, especially Covid-19.
Gordon also expressed his gratitude to the Australian embassy for donating a Hyundai HD65-based food truck for the PRC’s Hot Meals on Wheels Program.
The friendship between Australia and the Philippines is “to make sure we succeed in our effort to alleviate human suffering," said Gordon.
“We got a friendship we will never forget,” he added.
Gordon also honored Australia’s outgoing ambassador to the Philippines, His Excellency Steven J. Robinson.
As per to PRC, Robinson acknowledged the Australian Agency for International Development for "making the accomplishments possible" and called the camaraderie between the PRC and the Australian Embassy “intense.”
The event was also attended by Her Excellency Monica van Daalen, ambassador of the Embassy of the Kingdom of Netherlands; Counselor Thanh Le of the Embassy of Australia; Mr. Julian Tollestrup, First Secretary at the New Zealand Embassy; Mr. Gopal Mukherjee of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies; Nathan Ramalingompillai of the German Red Cross; Paul Anthony Drossou of the Netherlands Red Cross; Megan Kate Lilley of the Finnish Red Cross; and PRC officials. (Luisa Cabato)