Taiwan donates $200K to Cebu quake victims
Taiwan is scheduled on Tuesday to donate US$200,000 in cash to victims of the magnitude 6.9 quake that struck northern Cebu on Sept. 30.
A turnover ceremony will be held at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (Teco) in Manila at 3:30 p.m.
Ambassador Wallace Minn-Gan Chow, Teco representative, on Friday held a reception marking the 114th National Day of the Republic of China (Taiwan) with over 600 guests attending—among them, House of Representatives Secretary General Cheloy Velicaria-Garafil, Commission on Higher Education Chair Shirley Agrupis, House Deputy Speaker Janette Garin, Former National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon, former Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, former Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual, former Deputy Speaker and currently Director of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (Meco) Rose Marie Arenas, and Meco Director Wilson Tecson, among others.
He said even amid the National Day celebration, Taiwan’s thoughts and prayers were with those affected by the quake. The ambassador also extended his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and affirmed that Taiwan stands ready to provide any support and assistance needed for Cebu’s recovery and relief efforts.
Chow said the donation aims to help affected families rebuild their homes and accelerate reconstruction efforts. This contribution marks the first phase of Taiwan’s assistance to the Philippines, with additional relief materials to follow.
Milestones noted
Chow proudly shared Taiwan’s internationally acclaimed achievements over the past year and underscored the growing and ever-closer relations between Taiwan and the Philippines.
He highlighted several milestones, including the Philippine government’s decision to grant 14-day visa-free entry for Taiwanese travelers effective since July, which he said is a gesture of friendship that mirrors Taiwan’s visa-free policy for Filipinos since 2017.
Another milestone was the visit of Taiwan’s largest-ever investment and trade delegation to the Philippines last August, representing critical industries from information and communications technology, semiconductors, and energy to smart agriculture, underscoring both countries’ determination to pursue win-win cooperation and shared prosperity.
The ambassador further emphasized that the delegation’s visit aimed to promote the Taiwan-Philippines Economic Corridor, linking with the Luzon Economic Corridor to form an expanded economic zone connecting southern Taiwan and northern Luzon.
“With Taiwan’s technological strengths and the Philippines’ abundant talent pool, we are confident that this cooperation will foster secure, ‘non-red’ global supply chains that uphold technological advancement and democratic values,” Chow said.
People-to-people ties
The diplomat also conveyed the Taiwan government’s appreciation for a statement made by President Marcos reaffirming the Philippines’ steadfast position on the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
Mr. Marcos also emphasized that Taiwan and the Philippines are deeply connected, not only by geographic proximity, but also by strong people-to-people ties.
Chow stressed that both Taiwan and the Philippines face shared challenges, particularly China’s aggressive maneuvers in the Taiwan Strait, the South China Sea, and the West Philippine Sea.
The Chinese Communist Party regime continues to employ “gray-zone” tactics, including spreading online disinformation, distorting historical facts, interfering in elections, and applying economic coercion to influence and infiltrate democratic societies around the world, including Taiwan and the Philippines, he said.
One example is China’s misuse of UN General Assembly Resolution No. 2758, which Chow said falsely claims that the resolution authorizes China to represent Taiwan in the UN system. He said the resolution only addresses China’s representation issue and does not recognize Chinese sovereignty over Taiwan.
Meco officer in charge Director Corazon Padiernos conveyed her congratulations to Taiwan through a prerecorded video message, expressing warm greetings on the occasion of National Day.
Sen Risa Hontiveros also sent a special recorded message to extend her appreciation for Taiwan’s assistance to the victims of the Cebu earthquake and to reaffirm her firm support for the enduring friendship between Taiwan and the Philippines.
