Phl donates $.1 M to Sri Lanka typhoon victims

The Philippine government turned over yesterday more than $100,000 (over P5 million) to Sri Lanka as humanitarian assistance to those affected by typhoon Roanu in May last year.

Acting Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo handed over the donation to Sri Lanka Ambassador Aruni Ranaraja at a ceremony held at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) head office in Pasay City.

The amount will be used by Sri Lanka to finance a community drinking water program in Aranayaka.

Roanu hit Sri Lanka on May 15, 2016, triggering floods in 22 out of 25 districts of the country.

The flooding claimed lives and destroyed a large number of homes and important infrastructure.

In October last year, Philippines and Sri Lanka signed a visa waiver agreement for holders of diplomatic and official passports.

This agreement guarantees that holders of diplomatic and official passports from both countries will be allowed to enter, transit through, or stay in the territory of either country for up to 30 days without obtaining a visa.

The two countries will celebrate their 56 years of diplomatic relations this September. Diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Sri Lanka were established on Jan. 11, 1961.

Sri Lanka’s leading exports to the Philippines consist of fabrics, tyres, tea, gloves, apparels and clothing accessories.

The Philippines’ exports to Sri Lanka consist of parts and accessories of machines, medicaments, activated carbon, cotton, iron and steel, perfumes, office machines, food (malt extract) electrical machinery, sound recorders, construction materials, textiles and yarns and chemical products.