The ceremonial turnover of the Republic of Korea ’s 400 MT of rice assistance through APTERR’s Tier 3 to people affected by severe floods and landslides in Region IX, X, and XII of the Philippines was held on 21 March 2023 in El Salvador City, Misamis Oriental of Cagayan Ore City, the Philippines.
Dr. Choomjet Karnjanakesorn, General Manager (GM) of the APTERR Secretariat, accompanied by Mr. Toshiki Tojo, Japanese Expert as well as APTERR staff, attended this significant event together with distinguished participants namely Mr. Domingo F. Panganiban, Senior Undersecretary of Department of Agriculture (DA), Mr. Marco M. Bautista, Undersecretary for Disaster Response Management Group of Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Ambassador Kim Inchul of Embassy of Korea in the Philippines, Mr. Roderico R. Bioco, Administrator of National Food Authority (NFA), Mr. Roger V. Navarro, Special Assistance to the Administrator, Engr. John Robert R. Hermano, Acting Assistant Administrator for Operations, as well as local government officers, media and beneficiaries.
(from left-right) Mr. Kwon Soon Hyun, Counsellor, Ambassador Kim Inchul of Embassy
of the Republic of Koreain the Philippines,
Dr. Choomjet Karnjanakesorn, GM of the APTERR Secretariat,
Mr. Roderico R. Bioco, Administrator of National Food Authority (NFA),
Mr. Toshiki Tojo, Japanese Expert of the APTERR Secretariat
Korea’s 400-MT rice had been kept in NFA-owned warehouse in Davao City since December 2022 to be ready for a quick response to emergency occurrences in the Philippines. Thus, once catastrophic floods and landslides were triggered, the Philippines through the NFA made an immediate request to the APTERR Secretariat for a release of said rice to assist those affected in Region IX, X and XII with a total of 10,000 affected-family beneficiaries.
The APTERR GM expressed a sincere thanks to the NFA, the DSWD as well as local agencies for carrying out this rice distribution. His gratitude also went to the Government of Korea for generous contribution to those affected and their continued supports of the APTERR's activities. He emphasized that humanitarian assistance under the APTERR cooperation would enable all relevant agencies to work together in achieving food security in compliance with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by leaving no one or country behind.
