DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS 
P R E S S  R E L E A S E
www.dfa.gov.ph                                                                                           2330 Roxas Blvd., Pasay City, Philippines                                                                                 Tel. No. 834-4000 
SFA-AGR-319-06                                                                                                                                                                                                                             24 April 2006

SAUDI GOVERNMENT SENDS RELIEF GOODS  FOR VICTIMS OF SOUTHERN LEYTE LANDSLIDE

24 April 2006 — Acting Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary for Middle East and African Affairs Laureano C. Santiago announced that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia sent relief goods for the victims of the 17 February 2006 landslide that hit Guinsaugon, St. Bernard, Southern Leyte.

In a letter to the Department, Saudi Ambassador to Manila H. E. Mohammed Ameen Wali stated that, by royal directive, a Saudi Arabian Airlines cargo plane carrying 70 tons of various food items, pyramid tents, blankets and rugs arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, 20 April 2006.  Ambassador Wali immediately turned over the cargo to the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC), through PNRC Chairman Sen. Richard Gordon who was at the airport, for distribution to the victims of the landslide.

A Saudi delegation composed of representatives of the Saudi Ministries of Finance and Culture, members of the Saudi News Agency and Saudi television and officials from other concerned Philippine government agencies  were on hand to witness the turnover of the donation. END
 
 

/jay