28 November 2013 - The Government of the Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People’s Republic of China contributed the amount of five million Macau patacas, or approximately US$ 630,000, to support Philippine disaster relief operations following the devastation in the Central Philippines caused by super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan). The amount will be remitted directly by the Macau Government to the Foreign Donation Account of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
The donation was personally conveyed today by the Macau SAR Chief Executive Chui Sai On (Fernando Chui) to Philippine Consul General to Macau Danilo T. Ibayan at the Office of the Chief Executive.
Macau also issued a message of sympathy, which reads, “The Government of the Macau Special Administrative Region is truly overwhelmed by the devastation caused by typhoon Haiyan that swept through the Philippines early this month, which unfortunately led to so much suffering. On behalf of the Government and the people of the Macau SAR, we would like to contribute five million patacas towards disaster relief operations. The Government of the Macau Special Administrative Region will continue to follow the situation in the affected regions and extend, once again, our sympathy and solidarity to the local Filipino community.”
The Philippines and the Macau SAR have excellent relations. The Macau Government grants Filipinos visa-free access to the territory for 30 days. There are at present about 18,000 Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) working in Macau. Macau is the gaming center of the world with casino revenues in 2012 amounting to US$ 38 billion, followed by Las Vegas, in the United States and Singapore. Macau has a very successful economy and its people enjoy one of the highest per capita incomes in the world. Cebu Pacific flies daily between Clark and Manila while Philippine Airlines has four flights per week. Zest Airways has expressed its interest to also serve Macau from Manila.
Macau SAR is less than two hours away from Manila by air and serves as a gateway to the booming mainland China. END