Republic of Korea Extends Emergency Assistance for Victims of Typhoon Odette 

23 December 2021 – Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr. conveyed the appreciation of the Philippine Government and Filipino people to the Republic of Korea (ROK) for the latter’s emergency assistance for Typhoon Odette victims.

During a courtesy call on Secretary Locsin on 22 December 2021, Korean Ambassador to the Philippines Kim In-chul personally pledged USD 2 million cash donation from the Korean Government as assistance in the aftermath of Typhoon Odette (Rai). The Embassy of the ROK also offered a provision of in-kind emergency assistance worth USD50,000 in the form of 2,500 units of 25-kilogram sacks or 62.5 tons of rice to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

The Philippines and ROK have worked together on strengthening governance and infrastructure for disaster risk management, enhancing disaster preparedness for effective response-centric interventions in recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction. The ROK has so far donated USD 218.6 million as humanitarian emergency assistance in response to typhoons, flood, earthquakes, as well as the COVID-19 pandemic. For the COVID-19 pandemic alone, the ROK’s assistance to PH in 2020 and 2021 amounted to USD 210.7 million, including Korea’s donation of 539,430 doses of AstraZeneca which were delivered to PH on 30 November 2021.

This year, the Philippines and the ROK celebrate a milestone in development cooperation, marking 30 years since the establishment of the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) in the Philippines in 1991, and 10 years since the opening of the Korea Export-Import Bank (KEXIM) in the Philippines in 2011. From USD 7.24 million in 1991, development cooperation grew to USD 127.75 million in 2020, focusing on public administration and expanding to include infrastructure, public health, climate change, and science and technology and innovation.

Korea’s continued assistance and support to the Philippines is an assurance of strong and solid bilateral ties that does not wane through the tides but one that deepens in value and commitment. 

Although the Philippines did not make a call for international humanitarian assistance for the victims of Typhoon Odette, it has nonetheless been receiving pledges of emergency assistance from various governments and organizations, some of which are coursed through the Philippine government agencies, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Philippine Red Cross, UN agencies in the Philippines, and the respective aid agencies of the donor countries. END