MANILA — Taiwan donated more than P29 million worth of relief assistance to the Philippines, days after Typhoon Odette (international name: Rai) battered the country and left a massive destruction.
Taiwan's Foreign Minister Joseph Wu turned over $500,000 (around P25 million) worth of donations to Manila Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines chairman Wilfredo Fernandez on Wednesday.
The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines, in a separate statement on Thursday, said the Taiwan Association Inc. donated P2.7 million, while the Love from Koten Foundation gave P2 million.
MECO vice chairman Eddie Tamondong received these donations at a handover ceremony at TECO's office in Makati City.
Countries and international communities earlier pledged to help the Philippines after Odette caused widespread devastation in parts of Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
Canada is committing up to $3 million Canadian dollars (around P120 million), while China said it will give cash assistance of $1 million (P50 million) to the Philippine government to support its relief and recovery efforts.
The European Union also said it would allocate an initial €1.7 million (P96 million) in humanitarian funding in areas most affected by the typhoon.
France also committed €250 million (P14 billion) to "support disaster risk reduction, disaster preparedness, and response" at the local government level.
Odette left at least 258 dead, 47 missing, and 568 injured, according to government tally as of Thursday, after its strong winds and torrential rains inundated the southern half the country just a week before Christmas.
More than 600,000 people were displaced.
Damage to infrastructure was estimated at P2.5 billion, while crop losses was pegged at P1.15 billion.
President Rodrigo Duterte has placed six regions under a state of calamity: Mimaropa, Western Visayas, Central VIsayas, Eastern Visayas, Northern Mindanao and Caraga.