28 November 2013 – Ambassador Carlos C. Salinas attended the Spanish Congress Plenary session on 27 November 2013, where President Mariano Rajoy, Vice President Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría, Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo, Justice Minister Alberto Ruiz Gallardon, Finance and Public Administration Minister Cristobal Montoro, Economic Minister Luis de Guindo, Interior Minister Jorge Fernandez Diaz and other Senior Government officials answered questions from the Congress members.
Ambassador Salinas was accompanied by Deputy Chief of Mission Catalino R. Dilem, Jr..
Congressman Juan Carlos Grau Reinés inquired from the Foreign Minister the Spanish humanitarian assistance for the victims of typhoon Yolanda in the Philippines.
Foreign Minister Margallo, before addressing the question, extended to the Ambassador his sincerest sympathies for the devastation caused by typhoon Yolanda. Following are the salient points of his statement:
1. To date, Spain is the only EU member with a permanent team extending humanitarian aid in the Philippines since the beginning of the relief operations.
2. The Philippines continues to be the priority country in Asia for Spain in terms of cooperation and development.
3. Thirty-four Spanish nationals in the affected areas are all safe.
4. The humanitarian assistance included the following:
a) Fifteen tons of aid from AECID, Action Against Hunger and Spanish Red Cross, consisting of equipment for drinking water treatment and distribution, shelter materials, tents, waterproof covers, and mosquito nets. (Please refer to ZMA-864-2013 dated 11 November 2013).
b) Forty tons of potable water equipment comprising 5 units. (Please refer to ZMA-864-2013 dated 11 November 2013).
c) Three hundred thousand euros worth of medicines from Fundacion Reina Sofia in collaboration with Laboratorios Normon. (Please refer to ZMA-864-2013 dated 11 November 2013).
d) To date, Spanish Government aid to the Philippines amounted to 2,609,693.00 euros.