Singapore has shipped humanitarian aid to the Philippines as part of the understanding reached during Singapore Minister for Defence Ng Eng Hen's visit to Manila in July 2017.
A Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) C-130 transport aircraft airlifted relief supplies worth $100,000 to the Philippines on Aug. 7 to help "the displaced civilians affected by the ongoing security situation in the southern Philippines," said a statement.
The relief materials included tents, blankets, medical supplies, food items and water filtration devices, which were donated by the SAF and the Singapore Red Cross (SRC). The aid supplies were handed over to representatives from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Office of Civil Defense by the SAF Mission Commander, Col. Lee Kuan Chung, Director of the Changi Regional Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Coordination Centre (RHCC).
Singapore has undertaken relief supplies following the Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's consent to the SAF's offer of assistance to the Philippines last month.
Singapore has also offered to provide training for AFP troops, and a detachment of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles to enhance the AFP's intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities in conflict-prone areas of the Philippines.
The Changi RHCC leverages on ready facilities available at the CC2C for large-scale multinational operations and exercises. It focuses on supporting a disaster affected state's military and complements other existing mechanisms such as the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (AHA Centre) and UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
Once the disaster relief efforts reach a steady state and the affected state's military is able to coordinate the foreign military assistance provided without external support, the Changi RHCC will draw down its operations.
