Qatar lends its helping hand to Philippines in difficult times

(MENAFN - The Peninsula) Doha: As many countries across the globe face critical situations due to natural disasters or breakout of diseases like the current COVID-19 pandemic, the State of Qatar has not forgotten its role and humanitarian duty towards brotherly and friendly countries. Qatar has harnessed all its efforts to provide aid and support to many friendly countries such as Philippines when it faced natural disasters to mitigate the sufferings of people. Different institutions like Qatar Fund For Development (QFFD), Qatar Red Cross Society (QRCS), the Embassy of Qatar in Manila among others have always been at the forefront to provide necessary aid to friendly nation whenever it was stuck by natural disasters like typhoons. The efforts of the State of Qatar in this regard have also won praise of authorities in Philippines. In early December 2020, in implementation of the directives of Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Embassy of the State of Qatar to the Republic of the Philippines had delivered urgent relief aid from the Qatar Fund For Development (QFFD) via an air bridge from the Qatari Armed Forces to the Philippine Red Cross to support the victims of Typhoon Vamco. The aid included more than 40 tonnes of food, shelter materials, tents, water and sanitation units, generators, rescue boats, and various other materials. At that time President of the Philippine Red Cross Society H E Senator Richard Gordon had expressed his thanks to the State of Qatar for its humanitarian efforts, considering the State of Qatar a fundamental and strategic partner of the Philippines in this field, and praised the projects and contributions provided by the State of Qatar to the Philippines during the past period. It is pertinent to mention here that over the past few years, QRCS implemented many relief interventions through its representation mission in the Philippines. These included a response to Typhoon Haiyan (2013), Typhoon Hagupit (2014), the Surigao earthquake and Typhoon Vinta (2017), and Typhoon Mangkhut (2018). Also, there are many development operations co-implemented with the Philippines Red Cross. In middle of December 2020, Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) also started conducting an emergency response to Typhoon Vamco in the Philippines. With funding from Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD), QRCS provided relief aid for thousands of affected families and deployed a relief delegation to take part in the intervention.  As the Qatar Emiri Air Force aircraft arrived in the Manila International Airport, the QFFD-funded cargo was discharged and cleared by QRCS's representation mission in the Philippines, together with the delegation deployed from Doha. It contained food and nonfood items, shelter kits, Kit-5 water and sanitation units, power generators, and rescue inflatable boats. In the worst-affected province of Cagayan, 140 families (700 persons) received relief items that included blankets, mosquito nets, jerrycans, and plastic containers. Another 358 families (1,790 persons) received food items including rice, pasta, coffee, and canned fish and beef. QRCS had also deployed a relief delegation from Doha to implement a rapid intervention plan, which involved distributing emergency relief aid provided by the State of Qatar. Earlier in September 2018, Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) had also responded to Cyclone Mangkhut, a category-5 tropical storm that hit the Philippines. QRCS's Disaster Information Management Center (DIMC) had been activated to keep up-to-date with the disaster, analyze the field reports about the situation, and outline the intervention plans to help the victims.MENAFN29042021000063011010ID1101998692