MECO chair Silvestre Bello III receives from TECO head and Taiwan Representative to the Philippines Wallace Chow 20,000 sacks of donated rice for poor Filipino families and victims of disasters and calamities last week. The turn over was witnessed by MECO and TECO officials. (photo: MECO)

The Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) has turned the 20,000 sacks of rice that were donated by the Taiwanese government to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) which will be tasked to distribute to the needy and poorest households and victims of calamities.

MECO chairman Silvestre H. Bello III said the rice stocks, which arrived in the Port of Manila late last month, consisted half of the 2,000-metric ton rice donation of Taiwan made through the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO).

Another 20,000 sacks of rice, according to Bello, will be shipped to the Philippines in the soonest possible time.

“The goodwill is Taiwan’s means of reciprocating the friendly relations with the country. The donation will go a long way in providing relief to poor Filipino households and families, and those affected by calamities,” said Bello.

Bello secured the donation from TECO head Wallace Minn-Gan Chow, the Taiwan Representative to the Philippines in simple ceremonies last week. It was attended by officials of MECO and TECO, and representatives from the DSWD and other agencies of government.

Taiwan had made similar donations in the past in the aftermath of calamities and disasters that hit the country.

There are more than 150,000 Filipinos in Taiwan, about 125,000 of whom are factory workers.