THE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) has facilitated the official transfer of two sets of cash and in-kind donations from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia through the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KS Relief) through the Department of Health (DOH) on May 19.
The donation is part of the kingdom’s commitment to securing and distributing aid to victims of the Marawi siege, as well as working with the Philippines to respond to the pandemic.
The cash assistance in the amount of $1.5 million is intended to support the development of health facilities in the town of Marawi, Lanao del Sur; in particular, the installation of medical equipment and the training of medical personnel.
The in-kind donation worth $1.7 million included medical and personal protective equipment such as surgical and non-sterile gowns, KN95 and surgical masks and nitrile gloves, in addition to 53 ventilators who arrived there weeks ago. They were partially distributed to their identified recipients, with the aim of supporting the Philippine government’s response measures to the health crisis.
In turn, the DOH awarded a Certificate of Appreciation to the Embassy of Saudi Arabia and KS Relief for their overall contributions to improving local Covid-19 response operations and infectious disease testing capabilities. emerging.
Acting Foreign Secretary Lourdes Yparraguirre, Ambassador Hisham Alqahtani, Undersecretary of Health Leopoldo Vega, Assistant Foreign Secretary for Middle East and African Affairs Alfonso Ver, Assistant Secretary of Health Romeo Ong and KS Relief Director Dr. Abdullah Saleh Almoallem graced the event. Dr. Shalimar Rakiin, head of Amai Pakpak Medical Center, recipient of the donation, also attended. Representatives from the DFA, DOH and the Saudi Embassy in Manila were also present.
Image credits: DFA-OPCD/Maria Vanessa Ubac
