CANBERRA 27 June 2022 – Philippine Ambassador to Australia Ma. Hellen B. De La Vega turned-over to Her Royal Highness Princess Angelika Latufuipeka Tuku’aho, High Commissioner of Tonga in Australia, the contribution of the Philippines to the Fakalikutonga Recovery Fund in the amount of US$10,000 in a simple ceremony held at the Embassy of the Philippines in Canberra on 21 June 2022.

The contribution of the Government of the Philippines to the Fakalikutonga Recovery Fund represents the solidarity of the Filipino people with the people of Tonga as they build back better from the disaster. The Fund was established in response to the devastation caused by the volcanic eruption and tsunami in Tonga in January this year.

The Philippines, as a Pacific country prone to natural disasters, strives to further improve its disaster recovery and resilience mechanisms. Like other Pacific island countries, the Philippines views climate change as a major security challenge and thus, it is committed to global efforts to reduce emissions and address the impact of climate change.

During the ceremony, HRH Princess Tuku’aho presented a note of appreciation from the Government of Tonga to Ambassador De La Vega.

Source: Republic of Philippines Department Of Foreign Affairs