Mohamed Obaid Alqataam Alzaabi, UAE Ambassador to the Philippines joins relief distribution in Cebu, Philippines. SUPPLIED

The UAE has sent urgent relief assistance to 40,000 families affected by the recent earthquakes in Cebu province, the Philippines, the UAE Embassy in Manila told Expat Media. The UAE Aid Agency, in coordination with the UAE Embassy in Manila and local Philippine authorities, oversaw the delivery of food packs, drinking water, blankets, and hygiene kits to affected residents. “The UAE stands firmly beside the Philippines during this difficult time,” said Mohamed Obaid Alqataam Alzaabi, UAE Ambassador to the Philippines. “This aid reflects the directives of our wise leadership and the UAE’s enduring commitment to global solidarity, particularly in times of crisis.” Dubai-based Josie Conlu from the Filipino community in the UAE also joined the humanitarian mission, which aimed to provide immediate relief to displaced families living in temporary shelters. The latest aid shipment comes as Cebu reels from two major earthquakes in just two weeks. A magnitude 6 tremor struck near Bogo City at 1:06am on Monday (October 13), just days after a powerful magnitude 6.9 quake hit the same area on September 30. According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), the disasters left 74 people dead, 559 injured, and more than 71,000 homes destroyed. Authorities expect aftershocks to continue through December, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs). ICA/Expat Media Follow the UAE Embassy-Manila page for updates and full statement of UAE Ambassador to the Philippines
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