Two Republic of China (ROC) Air Force C-130 transport aircraft laden with relief supplies flew to the Philippines yesterday.
One plane left at 1:15pm from Hsinchu Air Force Base, and the second left eight minutes later, each carrying 7.5 tonnes of relief goods, including instant noodles, dry food, military blankets and other items.
The air force said the two planes would fly directly to Cebu City in the central Philippines, a journey of about three hours, and would return immediately after unloading.
Photo: Reuters
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said about 100 tonnes of goods had been collected so far for survivors of Typhoon Haiyan and that more missions were expected.
Ministry of National Defenese spokesman Major General David Lo (羅紹和) told a press conference that 20 crew members and one Ministry of Foreign Affairs official were taking part in the mission.
He said whether more flights would be scheduled depended on weather conditions and the amount of relief supplies collected.
The relief aid was donated mainly by Buddhist organizations, including the Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation, Fo Guang Shan, Ling Jiou Mountain and Dharma Drum Mountain, as well as the Red Cross Society of the ROC.
The air force said the C-130s have taken part in other international relief missions, including the South Asia tsunami in 2010 and Haitian earthquake in 2004.
Taiwan’s representative office in the Philippines said the government had originally wanted to send the supplies directly to the typhoon-ravaged city of Tacloban, but it accepted the suggestion of Manila officials to send the planes to Cebu City.
The Philippine government has said the airport in Tacloban was seriously damaged in the typhoon, and looting in the area and a curfew imposed on the city has made it a less than ideal place to send supplies.
The foreign ministry said on Sunday that Taiwan has extended its sympathy to the Philippines over the devastation caused by Haiyan and had donated US$200,000 toward relief efforts.
However, local media have reported that some people have been opposed to providing relief aid because of the May 9 shooting incident that killed Taiwanese fisherman Hung Shih-cheng (洪石成). The incident triggered a diplomatic standoff that lasted until early August.
In response to media queries yesterday, Hung’s daughter Hung Tzu-chien (洪慈綪) said: “The government [of the Philippines] might have no humanity, but the people are innocent.”
“Based on humanity, I definitely support the relief missions,” she said.
She said the shooting of her father was an inhumane act by Philippines Coast Guard personnel, but it had nothing to do with helping survivors of such a disaster.
Meanwhile, the Tzu Chi Foundation said it has set up a disaster response center to deliver supplies and provide relief to the areas devastated by Haiyan.
The Hualien-based foundation said it had collected 30,000 blankets and 200,000 packets of instant rice meals so far, and that all of the blankets and 60,000 packets of instant rice packets had been sent on the two air force planes that left yesterday.
More relief supplies are being sent to Taipei by train and truck for shipment to the Philippines.
A medical and disaster relief team consisting of 40 Tzu Chi volunteer workers in the Philippines, including 10 medical experts, will head to the typhoon-stricken areas today to directly assist victims, a foundation spokesman said.
Haiyan, which struck on Friday last week, was one of the most powerful storms to ever hit land and death toll estimates have ranged up to 10,000 people, though the lack of contact with many of the devastated areas has made it difficult for Philippine authorities to get an accurate count of the casualities and the damage.
Additional reporting by CNA
NO-LIMITS PARTNERSHIP: ‘The bottom line’ is that if the US were to have a conflict with China or Russia it would likely open up a second front with the other, a US senator said Beijing and Moscow could cooperate in a conflict over Taiwan, the top US intelligence chief told the US Senate this week. “We see China and Russia, for the first time, exercising together in relation to Taiwan and recognizing that this is a place where China definitely wants Russia to be working with them, and we see no reason why they wouldn’t,” US Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines told a US Senate Committee on Armed Services hearing on Thursday. US Senator Mike Rounds asked Haines about such a potential scenario. He also asked US Defense Intelligence Agency Director Lieutenant General Jeffrey Kruse
INSPIRING: Taiwan has been a model in the Asia-Pacific region with its democratic transition, free and fair elections and open society, the vice president-elect said Taiwan can play a leadership role in the Asia-Pacific region, vice president-elect Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) told a forum in Taipei yesterday, highlighting the nation’s resilience in the face of geopolitical challenges. “Not only can Taiwan help, but Taiwan can lead ... not only can Taiwan play a leadership role, but Taiwan’s leadership is important to the world,” Hsiao told the annual forum hosted by the Center for Asia-Pacific Resilience and Innovation think tank. Hsiao thanked Taiwan’s international friends for their long-term support, citing the example of US President Joe Biden last month signing into law a bill to provide aid to Taiwan,
China’s intrusive and territorial claims in the Indo-Pacific region are “illegal, coercive, aggressive and deceptive,” new US Indo-Pacific Commander Admiral Samuel Paparo said on Friday, adding that he would continue working with allies and partners to keep the area free and open. Paparo made the remarks at a change-of-command ceremony at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii, where he took over the command from Admiral John Aquilino. “Our world faces a complex problem set in the troubling actions of the People’s Republic of China [PRC] and its rapid buildup of forces. We must be ready to answer the PRC’s increasingly intrusive and
STATE OF THE NATION: The legislature should invite the president to deliver an address every year, the TPP said, adding that Lai should also have to answer legislators’ questions The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday proposed inviting president-elect William Lai (賴清德) to make a historic first state of the nation address at the legislature following his inauguration on May 20. Lai is expected to face many domestic and international challenges, and should clarify his intended policies with the public’s representatives, KMT caucus secretary-general Hung Meng-kai (洪孟楷) said when making the proposal at a meeting of the legislature’s Procedure Committee. The committee voted to add the item to the agenda for Friday, along with another similar proposal put forward by the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP). The invitation is in line with Article 15-2