President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. made a special call on Monday to thank Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim for his country’s help after the Philippines was hit hard by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine.
Marcos said that the air support from Malaysia helped them reach places still facing severe flooding and brought relief to families that needed it the most.
Malaysia, along with other Southeast Asian countries like Indonesia, Singapore, and Brunei, sent their air resources to assist in the recovery efforts.
“In this sad time, as we mourn the lives lost, it is comforting to see how our friends in ASEAN have stepped up to help us,” Marcos said. “This kind of support makes our region stronger.”
According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, more than two million families were affected by Kristine and the recent Typhoon Leon across 17 regions and 82 provinces.
