QUEZON CITY: In response to the devastation wrought by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine, four Southeast Asian nations-Singapore, Brunei, Malaysia, and Indonesia-are extending vital assistance to the Philippines. These efforts aim to bolster the country’s ongoing recovery initiatives in the storm’s aftermath.
According to Philippines News Agency, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) administrator, Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno, announced at the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City that Singapore is deploying its air assets to facilitate the delivery of relief supplies to regions impacted by the storm. While the Philippines faces no shortages of family food packs and hygiene kits, the automatic aid from Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia is a formal gesture of solidarity. These nations have committed air support to help manage the logistical challenges posed by the disaster.
Specific details of the assistance from Brunei, Malaysia, and Indonesia were not disclosed by Nepomuceno. However, he emphasized that
this external support is a testament to the strong relationships and collaborative spirit among ASEAN countries.
In a related statement, the Singaporean Ministry of Defense confirmed the deployment of one Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) C-130 transport aircraft to the Philippines. This move highlights the close humanitarian and defense ties between Singapore and the Philippines. The RSAF C-130 aircraft is set to provide critical airlift support for delivering humanitarian aid to areas severely affected by the storm, reinforcing the cooperative Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) efforts between the two countries.