Korean group donates school supplies for ‘Yolanda’ victims

By: Frances Mangosing - 10 years ago

Major General Virgilio Domingo, AFP Deputy Chief of Staff and Hyuk Lee (center), Brigadier General Lysander Suerte, AFP Deputy Chief for Civil Military Operations (left) inspect the supplies donated by the Givers Fund Inc at Camp Aguinaldo. PHOTO/ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES

MANILA, Philippines–A Korean non-government organization donated $200,000 worth of school supplies for victims of Super Typhoon “Yolanda” in Leyte.

A ceremony was held at Camp Aguinaldo on Tuesday that was attended by Major General Virgilio Domingo, the Armed Forces of the Philippines Deputy Chief of Staff and Hyuk Lee, the Korean Ambassador to the Philippines.

The US Joint Typhoon Warning Center called Yolanda the world’s strongest storm to make landfall in recent history. It struck the central Philippines last November 8, killing thousands and affecting millions.

The military will transport the 17,000 packs of school supplies donated by Givers Fund Inc (GFI) to 55 schools in Tanauan, Tolosa and Palo. Five M35 trucks will be provided by the AFP to help in assisting the GFI.

The AFP Central Command based in Cebu will take charge of the distribution once the packs arrive.

Each pack contains a backpack, pencil, folder, notebooks and coloring materials for elementary and high school students.

“We have been blessed to have neighbors who equally appreciate the importance of education in the lives of the youth and value the role that our children play in the future of our respective societies,” Domingo said in his speech.

Hyuk described their donation a “humble contribution” to the typhoon victims, saying they have the urge to help Filipinos because back in the Korean War, 100 Filipino soldiers were killed to help them gain their freedom.

South Korea had also previously committed about 500 of its military personnel to help in rehabilitation efforts in Yolanda-ravaged areas. They arrived last Dec. 28 and will stay in the country for a year.