Philippine News Agency • June 11, 2020
Israel delivers 2nd batch of PPE donation to PNP
MANILA – Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Rafael Harpaz on Wednesday delivered the second batch of personal protective equipment to the Philippine National Police (PNP) to support its front-liners in the fight against coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
“I see them every day standing along the roads of Manila to ensure everyone’s safety and to make sure that social distancing is observed,” Harpaz said in a ceremonial turnover, praising the efforts of the PNP during the pandemic.
In a news release, the Israel Embassy said the PPE donation includes surgical masks, N95 filtered face masks, gowns, shields, gloves, and non-contact thermometers.
“We would like to thank the State of Israel for their generosity and making today's turnover of personal protective equipment possible. Supplementing the vital needs of the organization as we fight the unseen enemy, this turnover will be of great help to our police front-liners. All these donated PPE will certainly go a long way in enhancing our capability in protecting our police force while battling Covid-19,” PNP chief Gen. Archie Francisco Gamboa said.
Gamboa said the assistance is a "gesture of generosity" depicting the act of “bayanihan”.
“Israel has friendly relations with the Philippines. Our cooperation includes many areas such as development assistance, agriculture, health, innovation, and sharing of military technologies and counterterrorism strategies. We have conducted one of the biggest relief operations in our history when Typhoon Yolanda devastated the Philippines in 2013. Hundreds of Israeli soldiers, nurses, and assistant workers helped the Filipinos affected by the typhoon,” Harpaz said.
“We’ll see how Israel could assist further the Philippines,” the envoy added.
He also cited President Manuel Quezon’s open-door policy that saved Jewish refugees and the Philippines’ vote in favor of the creation of the State of Israel in 1947 as the pillars of strong bilateral relations between Israel and the Philippines.
The ceremonial turnover of the donation took place at the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame on June 10, 2020.
The first batch of the donation was turned over to the Department of National Defense in a ceremony held on June 2, 2020 at the Villamor Airbase. (PR)
