Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian thanked the government of the Republic of Korea for their donation of 4,000 metric tons (MT) of rice for distribution to regions severely-hit by Severe Tropical Storm (STS) Kristine.

The DSWD chief expressed his gratitude in his message delivered by Undersecretary Diana Rose Cajipe of the Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) during the simple turnover ceremony of donations on Monday (February 3) at the Poblacion Municipal Hall in Laurel, Batangas.

“I would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to the Republic of Korea. This assistance will definitely go a long way in providing support to families affected by Tropical Cyclone Trami or better known with its local name ‘Kristine’ in the Philippines,” Secretary Gatchalian said.

The donation which is equivalent to 100,000 sacks of rice comprising 40 kilograms each, was donated by the South Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs (MAFRA).

This was particularly coursed under the ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR), a rice bank cooperation comprising Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member- states and China, South Korea, and Japan. Its Tier 3 program provides emergency rice assistance to member-countries facing severe calamities.

Now officially turned over to the Philippine government, these will be distributed to families severely-affected by ‘Kristine’ across Regions 1 (Ilocos Region), 2 (Cagayan Valley), 3 (Central Luzon), 4-A (CALABARZON), and 5 (Bicol Region).

The DSWD chief highlighted that this support will accelerate the recovery of Kristine-hit Filipinos while assuring them that apart from the local government units (LGUs), international partners are also looking after their welfare and full-recovery.

“Kristine brought devastating impacts, but the DSWD was never alone in providing prompt and comprehensive assistance to Filipinos hit by the tropical cyclone. We had the support of local government units, national government agencies, private  organizations, and international development partners,” Secretary Gatchalian said.

For his part, Korean Ambassador Lee Sang-hwa, who also attended the ceremony, said the support underscores the strong ties between the South Korean government and the Philippines.

“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 in a statement from the South Korean embassy in Manila.

Secretary Gatchalian assured the swift delivery of donated rice to its intended beneficiaries, in close coordination with concerned LGUs.

“We assure you that we will make every effort to ensure these contributions will reach those who need them most. The DSWD, along with its partners, commits to continuously providing unconditional support and assistance toward a brighter, more resilient future for all Filipinos,” the DSWD chief said.

Also present in the ceremony were General Manager Choomjet Karnjanakesorn of the APTERR Secretariat; Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, Jr.; National Food Authority (NFA) Administrator Larry Lacson and Batangas Governor Hermilando Mandanas. (LSJ)