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ROC naval ship heads for Philippines on aid delivery

ROC Central News Agency

2013/11/25 16:56:01

Taipei, Nov. 25 (CNA) A Republic of China Navy vessel departed from Zuoying Naval Base in southern Taiwan Monday to deliver relief supplies to the typhoon-ravaged Philippines, the first time a Taiwanese warship has visited that country in 10 years.

The 'Chung He' tank-landing craft will take about four days to reach Cebu in the central Philippines, with arrival time estimated late Nov. 28 or early Nov. 29.

Antonio Basilio, the Philippines' representative in Taiwan, said at a ceremony marking the shipment of relief supplies that his government and countrymen were very grateful for Taiwan's assistance in Manila's post-disaster relief and reconstruction efforts.

The ROC naval ship is delivering 552 tons of relief supplies and equipment, including canned fish, excavation machinery and prefabricated houses, Taiwan's Vice Foreign Minister Joseph Shih said at the ceremony.

Among the items being shipped are 80 prefabricated houses donated by the Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation that will be used to set up a 'Taiwan village' in the disaster zone, Shih said, adding that the charity is expected to donate more prefabricated houses later.

The 'Chung He' is being escorted on its 900 nautical mile voyage by the Lafayette-class Kangting frigate.

Having a warship escort a tank-landing craft on a cargo delivery mission is standard practice in Taiwan's Navy, but naval authorities said the frigate will not enter Cebu port when the 'Chung He' docks to unload relief supplies.

The ROC Navy made frequent port calls in the Philippines before the two countries severed diplomatic ties in 1975. Military servicemen of the two countries resumed contacts in the 1990s, and an ROC Fleet of Friendship last made a port call at Subic Bay in November 2003.

Monday's shipment followed the airlifting of more than 150 tons of relief goods to the Philippines via C-130 cargo planes over the past week in response to the devastation wielded by Super Typhoon Haiyan in the central Philippines on Nov. 8.

As of Nov. 21, Taiwan's government and private sector have donated cash and relief goods worth about US$6.4 million to help Philippine typhoon survivors, according to statistics released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Taichung Mayor Jason Hu said Monday, meanwhile, that he and department chiefs of the Taichung City government had donated a day's pay, totaling about NT$133,000 (US$4,492.81), to support disaster relief efforts.

The city government's Bureau of Labor Affairs has also launched a campaign to collect relief goods, including summer clothing, cool summer blankets and cooking utensils, for delivery to typhoon-battered zones in the Philippines, Hu said.

(By Cheng Chi-feng and Sofia Wu)
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