i TV Pinoy

Source: gmanews.tv

-- The Philippines received a major boost from two key partners of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) in disaster management efforts during the Asean summit in Thailand.

Malacañang on Sunday announced that Japan would donate three Doppler radars to the Philippines to complete the 12-radar system the Philippines needs in weather forecasting capabilities.

“Included of course are the technical support and Official Development Assistance (ODA)," a Palace statement quoted Press Secretary Cerge Remonde, who accompanied President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to the Asean summit, as saying.

The Palace said Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama also relayed to Mrs. Arroyo his condolences to the victims of cyclones “Ondoy" (Ketsana) and “Pepeng" (Parma), which killed more than 700 people and left billions worth of damages in agriculture and infrastructure.

He also wished the country’s immediate recovery during a bilateral meeting with Mrs. Arroyo on the sidelines of the 15th Asean Summit.

For her part, Mrs. Arroyo congratulated Hatoyama on his election as Prime Minister and on his party’s historic victory. She said she is looking forward to a strategic partnership of the
Philippines and Japan under his leadership, and invited him to visit the Philippines.

While in Thailand, Mrs. Arroyo also received Thailand’s commitment to donate 620 metric tons of rice for the victims of the tropical cyclones. The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs made assurance that 100 metric tons of rice, as well as medicines, will be sent to the Philippines by
the end of the month.

Another 520 metric tons of rice, this time upon the initiative of the Thai trade representative and coursed through the Asean Plus 3-East Asia Emergency Rice Reserve, will follow in February 2010.

On the other hand, Malacañang said a Philippine public-private sector body heading the reconstruction of infrastructure wrecked by the two cyclones may benefit from a $15-billion commercial credit from the People’s Republic of China.

The commercial credit will be available to the 10 Asean member-nations in the next three to five years, although the Palace said the decision rests on the newly created commission.

Trade Secretary Peter Favila pointed out that the commission, not the government, is making a study on the actual damage and the cost needed to fund the rehabilitation program.

At the Asean summit, Mrs. Arroyo proposed that the release of fund from the $120-billion Chiang Mai Initiative Multilateralization (CMIM) to a distressed Asean member must be quick and with less conditions.