21 October 2013 –  On behalf of the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC), the Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur received a 100,000 Malaysian ringgit (around PhP1.4 million) donation from the World Children Welfare Fund for the children affected by the earthquake which struck the Visayas last October 15.

Datin Paduka Seri Rosmah Mansor, the wife of Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, handed the donation to Philippine Ambassador to Malaysia J. Eduardo Malaya in ceremonies held last October 18 at the Seri Perdana, the official residence of the Malaysian Prime Minister.

“I wish to convey terima kasih banyak banyak (thank you very much) to the World Children Welfare Fund and to Datin Rosmah, on behalf of the PNRC and the Filipino people for its donation.  This timely and generous gesture of solidarity is deeply appreciated. It is a soothing balm to the hardship felt by many children.  It is true that tragedies bring pain and loss, but often, it brings people closer together,” Ambassador Malaya said.

Under the patronage of Datin Rosmah, The World Children’s Welfare Fund was established to assist in improving the welfare of children whose lives are affected by misfortunes and calamities due to war, natural disasters and conflict. 

Also receiving donations on behalf of their governments were the embassies in Kuala Lumpur of countries which recently suffered similar calamities, namely the Embassies of Cambodia (typhoon Wutip in September 2013), Mexico (hurricane Ingrid and tropical storm Manuel in September 2013), Japan (typhoon Wipha in September 2013), and India (cyclone Phailin in October 2013).  It also handed over donations to the charitable organizations Perdana Global Peace Fund and the Mercy Malaysia.

Mercy Malaysia is also deploying a five-man medical team to Cebu and Bohol today, October 21.  Two more batches of medical teams from the organization are expected to proceed to these areas.

Earlier, Prime Minister Najib expressed his condolences to those affected by the earthquake.  In his Twitter account on Wednesday, he said “We join the people of the Philippines in mourning those killed in the earthquake last Tuesday.”

Datin Rosmah has close ties with the Philippines.  She is an alumna of the Asian Institute of Management (AIM), and accompanied Prime Minister Najib during the latter’s official visit in October 2012 on the occasion of the signing of the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro between the Philippine Government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. END