The Manila Economic and Cultural Office on Thursday accepted 500 metric tons of rice donated by Taiwan as assistance to residents of the provinces of Davao whose residents were victims of the massive flooding early this year.

The rice donation, which arrived in the port of Davao last week, is part of the 2,000 metric tons of rice donated by Taiwan through the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines.

In accepting the assistance, MECO chair and Resident Representative Cheloy E. Velicaria-Garafil said: “We wish to reiterate our profound gratitude to TECO and the people of Taiwan for this generous assistance to the people of Davao who were victims of previous calamities and unfortunate economic circumstances.”

“We note with utmost appreciation that Taiwan’s donation has gone this far to help our kababayans who suffered and are suffering from the effects of natural and economic hardships in this part of our country,” she said.

Rep. Wallace Minn-Gan Chow of TECO noted the Filipinos’ resilience and vowed Taiwan’s continued assistance whenever needed.

“This is why we are doubly thankful to TECO, and our dear friend and my counterpart Representative Chow, for untiringly standing beside us in these most trying times,” she said.

Citing Taiwan’s generosity, Garafil stressed, “It is, to say the least, a measure of the strong ties that the Philippines and Taiwan has built through the years.”

“This is a measure of the strength of the friendship between our people and the people of Taiwan,” she added.

Garafil also noted that Taiwan’s goodwill is “unceasing especially in times of great challenges to our country and people.” ###