MANILA, PHILIPPINES – The Japanese government donates 300 metric tons of rice to the families affected by Typhoon Odette.
The rice supply is part of the ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR) initiative, according to Japanese Ambassador Kazuhiko Koshikawa and National Food Authority administrator Judy Dansal.
According to a report issued on Tuesday, the rice would be delivered and given to Typhoon Odette-affected people in Cebu, Bohol, and Surigao del Norte as soon as the permission of the APTERR Council is given to NFA.
Koshikawa stated that Japan is willing to assist the Philippines in its recovery efforts from the typhoon in December. Odette is estimated to have caused P25 billion in damage to agricultural, infrastructure, and private property, according to the government.
“We hope these tons of rice will be delivered soon to nourish typhoon-affected families,” he added.
Odette damaged almost 1.7 million homes across eight provinces, affecting approximately 10 million people.
APTERR administers member nations’ contributions for emergency reserves in order to assure rice availability in times of crisis, stabilize rice prices, and promote farmer income and welfare in member countries.
It also attempts to increase food security while avoiding market distortions in the international rice market. Sales, emergency grants and loans, and the distribution of donated rice in times of acute emergency make up a three-tier structure for making the stockpiles available.
APTERR also provided thousands of tons of stockpiled rice from Japan to the past victims of Typhoon Yolanda, Ineng, and Jenny, among others, in the Philippines.
In 2020, Japan also gave 425 metric tons of rice to families affected by the Taal Volcano eruption, while last year, families affected by Covid-19 in Quezon City, Manila, and sections of Bulacan and Cavite received pre-cooked rice. – WhatALife!
Source: (pna.gov.ph)
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