The Philippines will send a humanitarian team to war-torn Ukraine following a request from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for medical and mental health service workers.
Zelenskyy made the appeal yesterday during his meeting with President Marcos in Malacañang.
“You mentioned humanitarian possibilities, especially for medicine and, like I said to you, especially, psychological, mental health… (services for our) army. So, you understand how many people need their help when they come back. They (soldiers) can’t lose (their) families,” Zelenskyy said.
President Marcos responded positively, indicating the Philippines’ readiness to provide assistance.
“I am happy to do all that we can to make sure that we can help, especially the civilians and the innocents that are involved in the war. This is something that comes naturally to the Philippines, so this will be something that we could pursue,” Mr. Marcos said.
Zelenskyy’s visit followed his participation in the recent International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.
President Marcos also attended the same forum, and he was supposed to meet with Zelenskyy in Singapore, but their schedules did not align.
Both leaders expressed their commitment to further strengthen the 32-year-old diplomatic ties of the two countries, including exporting Ukrainian agricultural products to the Philippines.
Zelenskyy, who arrived in the country Sunday evening, revealed that Ukraine is set to open its embassy in Manila this year.
“We’re very thankful to be here in your country…which supports Ukraine, our territorial integrity and sovereignty,” Zelenskyy said.
President Marcos described Ukraine’s plan to open its embassy in Manila as “good news,” adding that the Philippines is willing to support the eastern European nation in any way possible.
“We will continue to do all that we can to promote peace and to bring an end to the fighting and to come to a political resolution [for] your country,” Mr. Marcos told his Ukrainian counterpart.
Diplomatic ties between the Philippines and Ukraine span 32 years since it was formally established on April 7, 1992.
Ukraine served as second home to nearly 200 Filipinos. But the figure went down to 25, who are mostly married to Ukrainians, due to the ongoing Ukraine-Russia crisis, the Presidential Communications Office said.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline Zelenskyy asks Marcos to send mental health workers in Ukraine