Taiwan Representative in the Philipines Wallace Chow (周民淦) said on Thursday that Taiwan has donated 1,000 metric tons of rice to the Philippines. The rice will be distributed through the Philippines Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
Chow says that due to the several typhoons that hit the Philippines last year, the rice harvest in some provinces was affected, resulting in a rice supply gap. He says that Taiwan has pledged to donate 2,000 metric tons of rice in total.
The Taiwan representative office in the Philippines pointed out that in order to cope with the shortage of food supply caused by climate change, the donated rice will be used as an additional food security stock, and distributed through relief programs.
Silvestre Bello III, chairman of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office and representative in Taiwan, said in a speech that the rice donated by Taiwan will greatly help alleviate the suffering of marginalized and vulnerable people in the Philippines.