AP FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—The Republic of Estonia, a former Russian territory and now considered as the European Union’s most advanced country as far as information technology is concerned, has allocated 50,000 Euros in aid for victims of Typhoon ‘Pablo’.
‘Pablo’ (international code name: Bopha) devastated southern Mindanao in the Philippines in December last year, spawning flashfloods and landslides that damaged houses and agricultural crops in many areas. The towns of New Bataan and Compostela Valley in Davao bore the brunt of the devastation.
The Philippine National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported that at least 1,200 people died and hundreds more were still missing.
According to Dr. Juan N. Peña Rivadeneira, Honorary Consul General of Estonia to the Philippines since 1997 and Honorary Consul Fernando Martin O. Peña, providing humanitarian aid during times of catastrophes has always been a vital part of Estonia’s foreign policy.
Diplomatic relations between the Estonia and the Philippines were formally established on December 19, 1991.
Estonia has consistently been a reliable partner during periods of rehabilitation and recovery in disaster-hit countries. In 2010, the biggest relief operations of Estonia were made after the Haiti earthquake and the Pakistan flooding. In 2011, Estonia provided humanitarian aid to victims of the complicated crises in Libya, Côte d’Ivoire, South Sudan and Somalia as well as victims of the earthquake in Japan and Turkey.