Chinese envoy visits Tacloban City

CEBU, Philippines - Ambassador Zhao Jianhua of the People’s Republic of China was in this city from September 27 to 28 to donate equipment for rescue operations like helmets, life preservers, extrication equipment, and first aid kits. He also met with Leyte provincial and city officials.

Mayor Alfred Romualdez welcomed the donations, saying it was very timely as their equipment in the past were damaged when super typhoon Yolanda struck the city on November 8, 2013.

During his second day here, the ambassador met with Leyte Vice Governor Carlo Loreto at the Capitol.

Zhao told Loreto the PROC was donating P1 million to the province to help in the rehabilitation of Yolanda-damaged schools.

He also visited Cali and Tagpuro, two areas where relocated families are now living in transitional homes, waiting to be transferred to permanent resettlement sites.

The ambassador was accompanied to the sites by Tacloban Vice Mayor Jerry Yaokasin, DSWD-8 Assistant Regional Director for Operations Resty Macuto, and Marco Boassa, chief of Mission of International Organization for Migration-Philippines.

Zhao distributed to residents P800,000 worth of relief items, such as food, water, and emergency lamps. He also gave the children basketballs and volleyballs.

After Yolanda, China donated at least 500 pre-fabricated houses, which then served as schools for the children in the area, so that classes could resume immediately.

China’s Peace Ark Hospital Ship, and rescue and medical teams were also deployed to Leyte. Currently, donations and assistance from China to Yolanda-hit areas have amounted to about US$6 million. — Lalaine M. Jimenea (FREEMAN)