Philippines Receives Donations from Saudi Arabia for Health Facilities, COVID Response
From left: Amai Pakpak Medical Center Chief Dr. Shalimar S. Rakiin, Acting Secretary of Foreign Affairs Lourdes O. Yparraguirre, Health Undersecretary Leopoldo J. Vega, KS Relief Director Dr. Abdullah Saleh M. Almoallem, and Saudi Ambassador Hisham S.A. Alqahtani. (DFA-OPCD photo by Maria Vanessa Ubac)
PASAY CITY 19 May 2022 – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) facilitated the official turnover of two sets of donations, cash and in-kind, from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, through the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KS Relief), to the Philippines, through the Department of Health (DOH), on 19 May 2022. The donation is part of the Kingdom’s commitment in securing and distributing aid to the victims of the Marawi siege, as well as in working with PH in responding against COVID-19.
The cash donation amounting to USD 1.5 million cash donation aims to support the development of health facilities in Marawi City, Province of Lanao del Sur, in particular the installation of medical equipment and training of medical personnel.
The in-kind donation worth USD 1.7 million in the form of medical and personal protective equipment such as surgical sterile gowns, non-sterile surgical gowns, KN95 masks, surgical masks, and nitrile gloves, in addition to 53 ventilators, which arrived a few weeks ago and have been partially distributed to their identified recipients, aims to support the response measures of the Philippine Government against COVID-19.
In turn, the DOH awarded a certificate of appreciation to the Saudi Embassy in Manila and the KS Relief for their general contributions for the improvement of COVID-19 response operations and emerging infectious diseases testing capacity of the Philippine Government.
The event was attended by Acting Secretary of Foreign Affairs Lourdes O. Yparraguirre, Saudi Ambassador Hisham S.A. Alqahtani, Health Undersecretary Leopoldo J. Vega, DFA Assistant Secretary for Middle East and African Affairs Alfonso A. Ver, Health Assistant Secretary Romeo Ong, and KS Relief Director Dr. Abdullah Saleh M. Almoallem. It was also attended by Dr. Shalimar S. Rakiin, Chief of the Amai Pakpak Medical Center, which is one of the beneficiaries of the donation. Representatives from the DFA, the DOH, and the Saudi Embassy were likewise in attendance. END
Health Undersecretary Leopoldo J. Vega (Left) accepts the check for the USD 1.5 million cash donation for the development of health facilities in Marawi City from Dr. Almoallem (Right). (DFA-OPCD photo by Maria Vanessa Ubac)
Saudi Ambassador Alqahtani (second from the right) receives the certificate of appreciation from Undersecretary Vega (third from the left), witnessed by Dr. Rakiin, Acting Foreign Secretary Yparraguirre and Dr. Almoallem. (DFA-OPCD photo by Maria Vanessa Ubac)
Acting Foreign Secretary Yparraguirre (center) with Ambassador Alqahtani (right) and Assistant Secretary Ver (left). (DFA-OPCD photo by Maria Vanessa Ubac)
From left to right: Health Assistant Secretary Ong, Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Ver, Dr. Rakiin, Acting Foreign Secretary Yparraguirre, Ambassador Alqahtani, Dr. Almoallem, and Undersecretary Vega. (DFA-OPCD photo by Maria Vanessa Ubac)
(DFA-OPCD photo by Maria Vanessa Ubac)