Care packages from Singapore lands at Laguindingan airport

A C-130 plane of the Republic of Singapore Air Force landed yesterday, August 7, at the Laguindingan airport carrying relief packages for internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Marawi City.

The relief packages, consisting of 30 fiveman tents, 3,120 packets of field rations, 200 blankets, three sets of medical supply, 1080 bottled water, 64 pieces of dynamo lights, and three water filtration units, were handed over to local authorities by the Armed Forces of Singapore together with the Singaporean Red Cross.

The packages were turned over to officials of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD-10) in Iligan City. From there, the DSWD-10 will be assigned to distribute the packs to the various evacuation sites in Iligan city.

“We are glad that we are here to coordinate and help the Armed Forces of the Philippines to provide relief packs. This is of course our move to support the fight against the ongoing rise of extremism in Marawi city now,” said Colonel Lee Kuan Chung, the Director of Changi Humanitarian and Disaster Relief Coordination Centre.

Lim Chong Tee, a Singaporean Red Cross youth volunteer said that the three water filtration units that were donated by the Singapore Red Cross will be very useful considering the current status of the IDPs in the evacuation sites.

“Indeed these water filtration units can help the evacuees in the getting of clean water for clean drinking. In an hour, it can purify one thousand liters of water for a community,” he explained.

Colonel Lee said that much like the move made by Malaysia in the past week, the Singaporean government is much willing to provide any support to the ongoing crisis in Marawi city.