MANILA, Philippines—The Philippines will take part in Sunday’s international pledging conference in Burma (Myanmar) organized by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and the United Nations to drum up relief support for the disaster victims in the cyclone-hit country, the Department of Foreign Affairs said.

The DFA said a Philippine delegation headed by Sen. Richard J. Gordon would join the pledging conference.

The delegation includes Philippine Ambassador to Burma Noel C. Cabrera, National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) executive officer Maj. Gen. Glenn J. Rabonza, and the DFA’s Undersecretary Enrique A. Manalo, Assistant Secretary Romeo L. Manalo and Director Zaldy B. Patron.

Asean Secretary General Surin Pitsuwan and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon will jointly lead the conference which aims to mobilize greater international assistance for relief operations, as well as rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts in Burma.

In a Special Asean Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Singapore on May 19, Surin was tasked to lead the Asean Task Force which would coordinate the assistance from all Asean-member states.

Damage and needs assessment

An Asean Emergency Rapid Assessment Team (Erat) has conducted damage and needs assessment in Burma. Dr. David Mendoza of the Department of Health is now in Rangoon as the Philippines’ representative in the team.

The DFA also said the Philippines would send a 30-man medical team, medicines, relief goods and cash for the disaster victims in Burma. A Philippine Air Force C-130 will transport the team, together with the medicines and relief goods, to Burma as early as Monday. The team will be in Burma for two weeks.

The Philippines’ total contribution to Burma—in cash and in kind—amounted to some $300,000. This excludes the contributions of private Philippine companies and charitable organizations.

The DFA said the government welcomed the assistance extended by the Filipino community in Burma and Philippine-Burmese joint ventures such as United Pharma and Myanmar Liwayway. The Philippine Embassy in Rangoon is coordinating with them in the conduct of relief operations.

Faithful urged to help

As this developed, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) president and Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo urged the faithful yesterday to help in relief and rehabilitation efforts in calamity-devastated areas in the country and abroad, particularly China and Burma.

In an interview aired over Church-run Radio Veritas, Lagdameo said that in celebrating the Solemnity of Corpus Christi today, the faithful should emulate Jesus Christ’s sacrifice for our salvation.

“In the same manner that Jesus gave Himself to serve and save mankind, the essence of our faith should be to help each other, especially those in direst need, the disaster victims,” he said.

Lagdameo has appealed to church social action centers for donations, both in cash and kind, for the victims of cyclone Nargis in Burma and the earthquake in China.

Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales has also sought donations from his archdiocese for Burma and China. With a report from Jeannette I. Andrade