THE Office of the Presidential for the Visayas (Opav) will be distributing the rice donated by the Chinese government to local government units, the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police.
The Chinese Consulate-General turned over the donation during the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of China and the Philippines.
Secretary Michael Dino accepted the 3,000 10-kilo bags donated through the People’s Republic of China Consulate-General in Cebu, represented by Chinese Consul General Jia Li.
Opav will allocate 400 bags each to the cities of Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu; 300 bags each to the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines; and 800 bags each to Region 6 and 8 for distribution to their LGUs where there are quarantine centers and those with the rising number of Covid-19 cases.
Consul Jia also turned over 2,000 bags of rice to the Cebu City Government, represented by Mayor Edgardo Labella.
“This is our way of showing solidarity with the Filipinos in the fight against Covid-19, our common enemy,” said Consul Jia during the turnover ceremony. “We believe that through a joint effort by both countries, the Filipino people will prevail over this pandemic and establish a safe, productive and healthy nation.”
Secretary Dino thanked the Chinese government for their continued support to the frontliners during the turnover of the donation held at the Project Balik Buhay Command Center, The Greenery, Pope John Paul II Avenue in Cebu City.
Aside from the rice donation, the Chinese Consulate General had been facilitating the donation of personal protective equipment and other essential items from Guangxi and Shandong provinces, among others for local government units in the Visayas.
“For this, I convey my sincerest appreciation to our friends in the Chinese Consulate General headed by Consul General Jia Li for the thoughtfulness and very kind display of generosity,” he said. “It is actually during difficult times that we will know who our true friends are.”
Secretary Dino also recognized the contribution of China to the economy of the Philippines and Central Visayas, specifically the over one million Chinese tourists who came before the Covid-19 pandemic happened.
“We look forward to the day when both of our countries will overcome this crisis and in the meantime, we will keep a fervently positive outlook of what is yet to come,” he added.
In a separate ceremony, the Chinese government also turned over 2,292 bags of rice to the Cebu province. The total donation of 7,292 bags of rice is worth P3.5 million. (PR)