PH accepts Chinese hospital ship offer

From Rappler (Nov 21): PH accepts Chinese hospital ship offer



GOODWILL. A tug pushes out the departing hospital ship Peace Ark bound for the typhoon-ravaged Philippines from a Naval base in Zhoushan in China's eastern Zhejiang province on November 21. AFP Photo

The Philippines has accepted China's offer to send its hospital ship called The Peace Ark to assist in relief and medical operations in areas affected by super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan).

The Peace Ark is a 10,000 ton hospital ship with 2,406 units of advanced medical systems including a CT scan room, digital X-ray room, blood bank, oxygen generation station, and its own pharmacy.

It has 300 ward beds, 20 of which are from the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

The offer of the ship came with an increased aid packaged for the Philippines after the Chinese government received flak from the international community and the media for its initial donation of US$100,000 to typhoon victims which was deemed 'small change' and 'inadequate'.

Speculation among international media also insinuated that the 'measly donation' was due to the tension between the two countries over their territorial disputes in the South China Sea (West Philippine Sea).

In a statement issued on Wednesday, November 20, the Chinese Embassy in Manila announced an overwhelming amount of additional aid including medical assistance, tents, and even mobile houses and cash donations from Chinese corporations.

The statement added that China also suffered from the super typhoon's wrath which affected 4 million of their people and caused them economic losses.

"The Chinese people are empathic with the hardships the Filipino people are facing," the statement said. It added that "Relevant Chinese authorities and the Chinese Embassy are also following the relief operations closely and will render further assistance if needed".

Foreign Affairs Spokesman Raul Hernandez says the schedule and other details related to the Peace Ark's deployment are now being coordinated with the concerned agencies.

Meanwhile, another hospital ship can be tapped by the Philippine government if needed. Hernandez says there is an "agreement in principle" between the Philippines and the United States that the USNS Mercy Hospital Ship will be deployed "at a time when it is needed most based on the assessment of the Philippines' needs."

Hernandez says the Philippines is grateful for the US' continued assistance and the overwhelming international aid being pledged and sent to the victims of typhoon Yolanda which killed more than 4 thousand people and left damages amounting to billions in the Visayas.

http://www.rappler.com/nation/44270-ph-accepts-chinese-hospital-ship-offer