Japan has generously provided 300 metric tons of rice to support families devastated by natural disasters, including the ongoing impacts of the El Niño phenomenon and severe tropical storms like Typhoon Kristine. The donation, made under the ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR) framework, aims to alleviate the food shortages caused by the calamities.
The turnover ceremony took place in Palo City, Leyte, with Japan’s Embassy First Secretary, Akasaka Hidenori, leading the event alongside key officials including National Food Authority (NFA) Deputy Administrator Mario Andrada, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Undersecretary Diana Rose Cajipe, and APTERR General Manager Choomjet Karnjanakesorn. The rice will be distributed to communities in Leyte, one of the regions severely affected by Typhoon Kristine, which as of October 2024, impacted nearly 179,000 families and displaced thousands more into evacuation centers.
Through APTERR, Japan continues to play a pivotal role in regional cooperation, enhancing food security and supporting disaster relief efforts in the Philippines. This rice donation adds to Japan’s ongoing commitment to disaster-stricken communities, with prior contributions including relief following Typhoon Odette in 2022 and the Mayon volcanic eruption in 2023.
In his remarks, First Secretary Akasaka expressed hope that the rice would provide much-needed sustenance and help the affected families regain their strength and rebuild their lives. This gesture underscores Japan’s unwavering solidarity with the Filipino people in their times of hardship.
