MANILA, Philippines – The government of the Republic of Korea donated 4,000 metric tons (MT) of rice for communities in Batangas severely affected by typhoons last year.
The rice donation was made possible through the ASEAN+3 Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR) program and is part of the follow up measures from the Korea-Philippines summit held during the Korean President’s state visit to the Philippines in October last year, the Embassy of the Republic of Korea stated in a news release.
The rice donation was officially turned over on Monday (Feb. 3) during a ceremony attended by Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., Philippine Secretary of Agriculture; Diana Rose S. Cajipe, Undersecretary of Social Welfare and Development; Lyndon M. Bruce, Mayor of the Municipality of Laurel, Batangas; Korean Ambassador to the Philippines Lee Sang-hwa; and Choomjet Karnjanakesorn, Secretary-General of APTERR Secretariat.
According to the embassy, the event held special significance, especially for the residents of Batangas, who were affected by last year’s typhoons.
The beneficiaries participated and received the donated rice directly, the embassy mentioned.
Photo courtesy of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea
“This donation is more than just a gift of rice; it is a symbolic example of the readiness of both nations to cooperate on food security and disaster resilience,” Ambassador Lee said.
He also expressed optimism for deeper cooperation between Korea and the Philippines in the future.
Philippine officials who attended the donation ceremony also expressed gratitude for Korea’s ongoing support and emphasized the positive impact this donation will have on the lives of Filipino citizens.
“This rice donation is recognized as a significant milestone in strengthening the Philippines’ food security and further advancing the bilateral cooperation, which was elevated to a strategic partnership last year,” the embassy stated.
“Both nations plan to expand this collaboration to achieve sustainable development and mutual prosperity,” the embassy added.
