Saudi ambassador hands over 60 tons of dates for conflict areas in ARMM

Saudi Ambassador to the Philippines Abdullah Al-hassan recently turned over 60 tons of dates donated by the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the United Nations world Food Programme (WFP) for distribution to the conflict-affected communities in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

Ambassador Al-hassan turned over the Saudi dates to WFP Country Director and Representative Stephen Anderson in the presence of the representative of the Ministry of Finance of Saudi Arabia Saad Al Sunaidi during a simple ceremony at the Saudi Embassy Chancery in Makati City.

Also present to witness the signing of food donation were officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Saudi Embassy, and the WFP, the world’s largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide.

Valued at $84,800 (commodity cost), excluding transportation and distribution costs to the intended areas, the four containers of Saudi dates containing 3,000 cartons will be distributed for conflict-stricken areas in ARMM as part of the Kingdom’s Islamic humanitarian role of addressing global hunger and malnutrition.

This is the second time this year that the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has donated tons of Saudi dates as his special gifts to the Philippines and its friendly people.

It may be recalled that last March, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia also donated 100 tons of dates to the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos and the Philippine Red Cross for Filipino communities across the country.

It has become customary for the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to donate thousands of boxes of dates to several countries, including the Philippines, during calamities as well as during the holy fasting month of Ramadan when Muslims around the world prefer a date fruit as the first food when breaking the fast (iftar) at sundown.