HK government reaches out to PHL amid Yolanda onslaught

For a brief moment, all was well between Hong Kong and the Philippines.
During a press briefing in Malacañang on Monday, Cabinet Secretary Jose Rene Almendras said Hong Kong reached out to the Philippine government amid the damage brought by Typhoon Yolanda to the country.
"I got a call this morning from the Hong Kong government expressing their sympathies and... we're grateful, we're very thankful to the whole world for the support," he said.
Before the calamity, tensions were rising between Hong Kong and the Philippines because of the Manila hostage crisis.
But aside from Hong Kong, Almendras also thanked the other countries who extended a helping hand to the country.
He specifically cited Singapore which he said is sending a complete set of trauma equipment and Spain who reportedly donated cash for relief efforts.
"So there's a lot [of donations] and I’m very grateful for that.  I’m just saying we're very grateful for any help you can give us," he said.
But he also reminded those who wish to donate to the victims to give the "right kind of help." 
"What do I mean by a right kind of help? Don’t send us something that we cannot use immediately now. I’m mean if you’re gonna send us construction material, please don’t send it now yet," he said. 
"We need resources (that) we need (in) relief operations that we need. That means food, medicine," he added.
Almendras, however, assured the public that the government has enough funds for rescue and relief operations, specifically from the Calamity and the Quick Response Funds.
"Secretary Abad and I, we’re looking at the numbers and we know we have enough money.  And then, we’re glad there's a new budget here coming in January and so there’s gonna be new funds that can be used for that," he said.
"Don’t worry. We are very open to be audited by...anyone else who wants to make sure that we are spending this money properly. I assure you we have been very deliberate and disciplined as required by the President. Masinop po ang Pangulo natin pagdating sa gastusin," he added. — JDS, GMA News

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

PCG: China’s bullying in West Philippine Sea undermines international law --- Ghio Ong - The Philippine Star

MANILA, Philippines — Letting China sustain its aggression in the West Philippine Sea would make other countries doubt the strength of international law currently being asserted by the Philippines, Commodore Jay Tarriela of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said. “Allowing China to blatantly disregard the established rules-based order threatens the very foundation that we all depend on,” he wrote in a post on X last Tuesday. He added, “If we permit this, countries worldwide may forget why this order was created in the first place. Nations could begin to doubt the significance of adhering to international law if powerful bullies can easily violate it.” Tarriela also said defiance of other countries to a rules-based order would result in the prevalence of cruelty. He wrote, “This could lead us back to a time when might makes right, undermining the global structures that keep human greed, savagery and barbarism in check. Such a scenario would not only invite challenges from aggressive ...
Read more

China ships maintain presence in key West Philippine Sea areas --- Michael Punongbayan - The Philippine Star

STAR / Michael Varcas MANILA, Philippines — While Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) have decreased in number, they have maintained a presence in three key land features where naval and coast guard ships have intensified operations in the past seven days, according to the Philippine Navy. Latest monitoring by the Philippine Navy showed armed ships of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) maintaining a menacing presence around the grounded BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal, Panatag Shoal and Escoda Shoal. According to the Philippine Navy, there are 17 Chinese military vessels and 28 China Coast Guard (CCG) boats spotted inside the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) between Sept. 23 and 30, or one vessel more than in the previous week Sept.17-23. Five of the warships were seen roaming around the vicinity of Escoda Shoal, along with 10 CCG vessels and 12 maritime militia vessels (MMVs). There are also two PLAN ships in Ayungin Shoal as well as 10 CCG boats and 12...
Read more

Social media seen as cause of rising intermarriages --- Helen Flores - The Philippine Star

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) sees social media as the main reason for the rising number of Filipinos marrying or becoming partners of foreign nationals. In 2022, the CFO recorded 6,854 marriages or partnerships with foreign nationals, a 40.1 percent increase from the 4,891 “intermarriages” recorded in 2021. “First of all, what we see in the increase in the marriage rate of Filipinos or Filipinos with foreign partners is because of social media, (that) is number one; matchings; letters, introduction of their friends,” CFO chairperson Romulo Arugay said at the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon public briefing yesterday. Arugay said the agency has been registering a high number of intermarriages since 2007, but the figures went down during the COVID-19 pandemic. From over 6,500 Filipinos who married foreign nationals, only 600 are men, he said. Most of them are married to Americans, Japanese, Germans, Canadians and Australians, Arugay said. Arugay warned Fi...
Read more