Unloading operations of Taiwan’s relief goods after the C-130’s arrival in Cebu. Image from TECO
MANILA, Philippines — The Taiwan government has sent another wave of assistance for areas affected by Typhoon Odette, this time two shipments of relief goods worth P2.5 million, according to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in the Philippines.
In a statement on Sunday, TECO press division Deputy Director Wei-Chung Chang said that the relief items were airlifted by two Taiwanese C-130 Hercules cargo planes earlier and on Saturday, Christmas day.
“Sharing the same feelings with the people affected by Typhoon Odette (Rai), following our background information on 23 December 2021, the people and government of Taiwan quickly carried out humanitarian operations,” Chang said.
“Two shipments of relief goods worth USD 50,000 were airlifted from Taiwan to the Philippines by two ROCAF C-130 Hercules cargo planes on 25 and 26 December 2021 respectively,” he added.
This is Taiwan’s second initiative in terms of responding to the devastation brought by Typhoon Odette to parts of Visayas, Mindanao, and Palawan. Last December 23, Taiwan’s government and other Taiwan-based foundations donated a combined amount of P29.70 million for disaster relief funds.
On behalf of the government of the Republic of China (Taiwan), Representative Peiyung Hsu (5th from right) of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines handed over the donation. Image from TECO
Of the P29.70 million, S$500,000 or P25 million as of current exchange rates came from the Taiwan government, while the Taiwan Association Inc. and the Love from Koten Foundation donated P2.7 million and P2 million, respectively.
From December 16 to 18, Typhoon Odette which at its peak had maximum sustained winds of 195 kilometers per hour, wreaked havoc over the northern parts of Mindanao, southern portions of Visayas, and towns and cities in Palawan.
Odette’s destruction was recently compared by observers to Super Typhoon Yolanda’s effects on Eastern Samar last 2013.
As of Sunday, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said that 378 individuals have been reported dead, while 60 are still missing, and 742 are injured.
NDRRMC’s data also showed that 3.952 million are affected by the typhoon, with over 478,953 houses sustaining damage. Meanwhile, cost to infrastructure due to the typhoon is at P16.67 billion, while damage to agriculture was estimated at P3.963 billion.