PCCCII to donate 600k facemasks to Philippines – China ambassador

The Philippine Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Inc. would donate 600 boxes of facemasks to the Philippines, the Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines said Friday.

In a press briefing, Ambassador Huang Xilian said that around 600,000 facemasks would be given to concerned authorities "to help people in the Philippines."

The public on Thursday faced a shortage of facemasks after the country confirmed its first novel coronavirus case. 

"We believe that China and the Philippines have come through thick and thin in the past decades or past centuries [...] We will continue to work hand in hand to overcome the difficulties," said Huang .

"We are in very close communication with authorities of the Philippine Government so that we can share with them the information and provide assistance as deemed necessary."

Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian says 600 boxes of face masks totaling 600,000 face masks have been donated to the Philippines by a Chinese business organization he met earlier at his residence, says China is concerned about the situation in the country. pic.twitter.com/QWfCbC0bmc

— Raffy Tima (@raffytima) January 31, 2020

Huang also promised that Filipinos in China would be given the best treatment and care from authorities.

"I know you have nationals in China, and I can assure that they will have the best treatment and better care from authorities concerned," he said.

The ambassador extended his thanks to the Philippine Government and the Filipino people for their aid in the fight against nCoV.

"We are making a great sacrifice for the benefit of the Chinese people and the rest of the world. At the same time, the cases, suspected cases, of the coronavirus in the Philippines have also been very concerning to all of us," Huang said.

"Thank you very much for your caring for the Chinese people, those who are affected by the epidemic," he added.

A 38-year-old Chinese woman from Wuhan, China is the first positive nCoV case in the Philippines. She was confined at the San Lazaro Hospital in Manila.

Meanwhile, the number of people under investigation for the virus had climbed to 31.

The death toll in China due to the virus has increased to 213 with more than 9,600 confirmed coronavirus cases. — Joahna Lei Casilao/DVM, GMA News