US military donates COVID-19 vaccine storage units, ICU beds to AFP

The United States military has donated COVID-19 vaccine cold storage units and intensive care unit (ICU) beds to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

The US turned over the donation worth P2.075 million or $40,914 at the AFP General Headquarters, the US Embassy in the Philippines said on Tuesday.

Acting Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) David Gamble and AFP Chief of Staff General Jose Faustino Jr.  were present during the ceremony.

“The AFP is grateful to the United States government for the donations, which will surely enhance our capacity to afford our military personnel and their dependents the best healthcare services that we can provide,” Faustino said.

The US Embassy said the US government’s donation was part of the larger assistance to support the COVID-19 efforts in high-risk areas across the country.

“This is just another step in our long partnership as treaty allies that has been going strong for 70 years. We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Philippines and the AFP in this fight against COVID-19,” Gamble said.

As of date, the US government has provided over P1.9 billion or $37.47 million to support the Philippines’ COVID-19 response.

The Philippines is the US’ oldest treaty ally in Asia, according to the US Embassy.

The partnership of US and Philippines builds on decades of bilateral military cooperation in humanitarian assistance and disaster response, counterterrorism, maritime security, and many other fields, the embassy added. -with Jiselle Casucian/NB, GMA News