Foreign Press Liaison Office
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Republic of China (Taiwan)
Email: fplfbi@mofa.gov.tw
Mobile: 0919-277-555
Tel: (02)2380-5683
0910-150-917
Fax: (02)2311-2519
For immediate release
Press Release
Dec. 6, 2013
ROC relief to Philippines continues unabated
People from all walks of life in the Republic of China (Taiwan) continue
donating funds and relief supplies to the Philippines following the
disaster caused by super Typhoon Haiyan.
The storm devastated the central Philippines Nov. 8, 2013, causing more
than 5,000 deaths and affecting over 10 million people. In accordance
with President Ma Ying-jeou’s vision of the ROC as a provider of
humanitarian aid, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has worked closely with
nongovernmental organizations to provide prompt relief and assist in the
reconstruction of affected areas.
Earlier this week, while leading a trade delegation to the Philippines,
Wang Chih-kang, chairman of the Taiwan External Trade Development
Council (TAITRA), donated US$120,000 collected by the organization.
On Nov. 25, Sun Wen-hsien, president of the Chiu Chang Mathematics
Education Foundation, took a group of 27 schoolchildren to the
Philippines to participate in the International Mathematics and Science
Olympiad for Primary School Students, with each child carrying 10
kilograms of rice, noodles, biscuits or canned food to be donated to storm
victims through the event’s organizing committee.
These efforts follow the airlifting of more than 150 metric tons of aid
supplies in 18 flights by ROC air force C-130 Hercules cargo planes Nov.
12-21, as well as the transport of 530 metric tons of relief goods to Cebu
Port aboard an ROC naval vessel.
Supplies included prefabricated housing, solar generators, tents, rice,
clothing, ready-to-eat food and potable water, donated by private citizens
and a wide range of civic organizations and charity groups, including the
ROC Red Cross Society, Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi
Foundation, Bliss and Wisdom Foundation, Namchou Chemical
Industrial Co. Ltd., I-mei Foods Co. Ltd., ROC I-Kuan Tao Association,
and National Fishermen’s Association.
The goods were distributed with the assistance of volunteers working for
ROC charity groups in the Philippines, joined by over 16,000 Filipinos
affected by the typhoon who were employed by the Buddhist Compassion
Relief Tzu Chi Foundation.
As of Dec. 5, the total value of monetary and material donations made by
the ROC government, civic groups and individual citizens had reached
NT$358.5 million (US$11.09 million).
In addition, within days of the disaster a 35-person team organized by the
Taiwan Root Medical Peace Corps arrived in the affected area to provide
free medical assistance.
ROC government agencies, coordinated by Minister without Portfolio Lin
Junq-tzer, have worked together closely. The Ministry of Health and
Welfare promptly established a special bank account for monetary
donations, while MOFA and the Ministry of National Defense designated
two aid supply collection centers, one in northern Taiwan and one in the
south. As mentioned above, the MND also dispatched aircraft and a ship
to transport relief supplies, as well as mobilizing soldiers to help collect,
sort, pack, load and ship the goods.
Local governments in Taiwan have also set up special accounts to enable
citizens to easily make donations. Moreover, the Council of Agriculture
collected canned fish and frozen vegetables, and the Overseas
Community Affairs Council marshaled ROC firms and nationals in the
Philippines for participation in relief efforts.