FOOD AID FROM THE UAE - In photo during the arrival on Tuesday of a planeload of food donation from the United Arab Emirates government (from left) DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian, DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos, UAE Ambassador to the Philippines Mohamed Obaid Alqattam Alzaabi, Special Envoy to the United Arab Emirates for Trade and Investment Ma. Anna Kathryna Yu-Pimentel, Reichel Quiñones, Chief of Presidential Protocol and Presidential Assistant on Foreign Affairs, Bureau of Customs-NAIA's Atty. Yasmin Mapa, and MIAA Head Executive Assistant/ Spokesperson Atty. Chris Bendijo. (Photo by Ariel Fernandez)
A 747-200 cargo plane loaded with food aid from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) government arrived Tuesday night, July 30, at Terminal 2 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, the first delivery of its kind from the international community, for the victims of Typhoon Carina and the enhanced southwest monsoon.
The food aid was immediately dispatched by the Emirati government headed by its President, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, to help the Philippine government in its recovery efforts following the typhoon's onslaught which left parts of Metro Manila and nearby provinces submerged in floodwaters. The National Capital Region was subsequently placed under a state of calamity.
The cargo, which contained an estimated 800,000 kilograms of various food items, arrived at the NAIA around 8 p.m. It was received by Interior and Local Governments Secretary Benhur Abalos, Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rex Gatchalian, Special Envoy to the United Arab Emirates for Trade and Investment Ma. Anna Kathryna Yu-Pimentel, Reichel Quiñones, Chief of Presidential Protocol and Presidential Assistant on Foreign Affairs, Bureau of Customs-NAIA's Atty. Yasmin Mapa, MIAA Head Executive Assistant/ Spokesperson Atty Chris Bendijo, and UAE Ambassador to the Philippines Mohamed Obaid Alqattam Alzaabi.
The 747-200 cargo plane landed at Terminal 2 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, July 30, 2024. (Photo from the UAE Embassy)
Secretary Gatchalian thanked the UAE government for the generous and quick aid and vowed to immediately deliver the food items to the typhoon victims.
"We gave the list to the UAE so they know where these relief goods will go," said Gatchalian.
The food aid from the UAE contained 2,464 individual packs of 900-gram milk, 5-kg flour, 400-gram tea, 5-kg rice, 1.5-liter oil, 1-kg red lentils, 1-kg peas, 1-kg dates, 375-mg tang powder, 500-gram oats, 850-mg tomato paste, 2-kg sugar, and 1-kg salt.
The donation also included 4,928 packages and cans of 400-gram pasta, 400-gram sweet corn, 400-gram green peas, 400-gram red kidney beans, 400-gram and 9,856 cans of 170-gram tuna and chickpeas.