JPM-Press Release-2021-10

7 April 2021, Jakarta – Philippine Permanent Representative to ASEAN, Ambassador Noel Servigon, attended the virtual handover of Phase 2 Construction of the ASEAN Village in Palu City, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia on 7 April 2021.

In their remarks, Executive Director of theASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (AHA Centre) Adelina Kamal and Palu City Mayor Hadianto Rasid expressed their appreciation and gratitude for the support of the Philippines and other donor countries and institutions.

“Despite the fact that the Philippines was just starting to recover from Typhoon Mangkhut that hit the country a few months before, the Philippine government and people still expressed their solidarity bilaterally and regionally through the AHA Centre,” said Executive Director Kamal, citing the Philippines’ commitment to ASEAN solidarity in the wake of natural disasters.

The Philippines, along with Brunei Darussalam, Australia, and Direct Relief, supported the construction of the ASEAN Village implemented by the AHA Centre in coordination with Badan Nasional Penanggulangan Bencana, the National Disaster Management Authority of Indonesia.

The Philippines donated USD300,000 following the triple disasters that occurred in Central Sulawesi in September 2018 when a 7.4 magnitude earthquake triggered a near-field tsunami, major liquefaction and landslides.

Phase 2 construction of the ASEAN Village consists of 25 units of permanent houses, one unit of mosque and one unit of auxiliary health center.  Also included are public facilities such as community street, drainage system access to clean water and electricity.

Seventy-five (75) units of houses were distributed under Phase 1 construction on 16 April 2020. (END)