MANILA, Philippines – PINASALAMATAN ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. ang South Korean government para sa tulong at relief efforts na ibinigay nito sa Pilipinas sa panahon ng kalamidad.
Inihayag ito ng Pangulo matapos pangunahan ang inagurasyon ng P1.126-billion Samar Pacific Coastal Road Project, na itatayo sa tulong ng Korean government sa pamamagitan ng Export-Import Bank of Korea.
Sa naging talumpati ng Pangulo, sinabi ng Punong Ehekutibo na ang South Korea ay isa sa mga unang bansa na nagpadala ng “sizable contingent” sa central Philippines nang bayuhin ng bagyong Yolanda ang bansa noong 2013 at nagresulta ng pagkamatay ng libong katao.
“Not only did they come to help us to bring the relief goods; they helped us very much in the water supply, and they brought their own vehicles and they assigned many of their soldiers to come and be of an assistance, and there were also engineers,” ani Pangulong Marcos.
“When maybe 80 percent of the other aid programs had already left the province, Korea stayed for another 3 years… Because the effort to bring relief goods was already finished, they were now rebuilding the water systems, rebuilding the electrical systems, and they did not leave us until those buildings were complete,” dagdag na wika nito.
Tinuran pa ng Chief Executive, may 21 iba pang proyekto ang pinopondohan ng Korea sa Pilipinas.
“Korea has always been a very good friend to the Philippines… Indeed you have helped us lay the ground work for a more progressive and prosperous Philippines,” anito.
Sa kabilang dako, sa naging mensahe naman ni South Korean Ambassador to the Philippines Lee Sang-Hwa, inalala nito ang kanyang pagbisita sa Yolanda-hit areas noong 2013, kung saan sinalubong aniya siya ng mga residente ng “matamis na ngiti” at tunay at warm hospitality” sa kabila ng masaklap na nangyari sa kanila dahil sa nasabing bagyo.
“It reinforced my impression of the indomitable spirit that has made the Philippines a close friend and reliable partner of Korea in 7 and a half decades,” ayon kay Sang-Hwa.
Aniya pa, ang Samar Pacific Coastal Road Project ay alinsunod sa Indo-Pacific strategy ng South Korean government.
Ang South Korea ay ang fourth largest trading partner ng Pilipinas na may kabuuang $15.44 billion na halaga ng kalakalan sa pagitan ng dalawang bansa noong 2022.
Samantala, bumili naman ang Pilipinas ng military equipment mula sa East Asian country para gamitin ng Philippine Air Force at Navy ng bansa. Kris Jose
