Japanese Ambassador Toshinao Urabe attended the turnover ceremonies of 70 shelters to displaced families in Cagayan de Oro City, one of the worst hit cities by typhoon Sendong (international code name Washi) that battered the country December last year. The ceremonies were held in Barangay Pagatpat, Cagayan de Oro City on October 18, 2012. Philippine Red Cross (PRC) Chairman Richard Gordon, International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC-Philippines) Head of Delegation Selvaratnam Sinnadurrai were also in attendance. The turnover ceremonies were followed by the formal ribbon cutting at the Red Cross Village, which was led by Madam Etsuko Urabe and PRC Secretary General Gwendolyn Pang.
Japanese Ambassador Toshinao Urabe (third from right) together with PRC Chairman Richard Gordon turns over a model shelter to a typhoon Sendong victim, and witnessed by IFRC in the Philippines Head of Delegtion Selvaratnam Sinnadurai (far right).
The transitional shelter program is part of the Government of Japan's commitment in cooperation with the IFRC and PRC for the typhoon victims in Northern Mindanao. The program is worth US$500,000.
In December 2011 after typhoon Sendong struck Northern Mindanao, Japan immediately responded by airlifting and delivering emergency relief goods to Cagayan de Oro and other affected areas to mitigate the impact of the calamity cruelly imposed on many people in and around the Northern Mindanao.
Ambassador Toshinao Urabe (far right) assists Madam Etsuko Urabe (second from right) and PRC Secretary General Gwendolyn Pang (third from right) during the ribbon cutting ceremony at the Red Cross Village. Looking on is PRC Chairman Richard Gordon (fourth from right).
In his speech, Ambassador Urabe expressed his deepest sympathy and condolences to the victims of typhoon Sendong. He added that “Cagayan de Oro will recover from the disaster and rebuild a better city with more capability to cope with disasters”.
Children welcome Ambassador Toshinao Urabe (fifth from right), PRC Chairman Richard Gordon (fourth from right) and other officials during the turnover ceremony.
Japan is a strong advocate of “Human Security”. Making individual people secure their livelihood and safety is the key to the peace and prosperity of the community. Japan believes that various undertakings like the transitional shelter program will not only empower the typhoon victims and their communities but is also an endeavor that helps overcome vulnerability and strengthening of human security. These transitional shelters will serve as a testimony of the strategic partnership between Japan and the Philippines as well as the human security of the Cagayanons.
Speech of Ambassador T. Urabe
Japanese Version
