Leyte: Japan has donated 300 metric tons of rice to support the victims of Severe Tropical Storm Kristine (Trami) and other calamities that devastated Leyte province over the past months, said the Japanese Embassy in Manila. The donation, made under the ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR) framework, was formally turned over in a ceremony at Palo City in Leyte. According to Philippines News Agency, Kristine was among the strongest storms to hit and significantly affect the Eastern Visayas region. The Japanese Embassy noted that this assistance would also benefit communities impacted by the El Niño phenomenon. Japan, as a major contributor to APTERR rice in the Philippines, has consistently demonstrated compassion and solidarity with the Filipino people during challenging times. Over the years, hundreds of tons of stockpiled rice from Japan have been distributed to thousands of families through APTERR. In October 2024, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported that Kristine affected around 178,685 families or 685,049 people in the region, including Leyte. At that time, approximately 4,299 families, consisting of 14,528 individuals, were forced to stay in evacuation centers. APTERR is a regional cooperation initiative aimed at strengthening food security, alleviating poverty, and eradicating malnourishment among its member countries by distributing stockpiled rice to affected nations during severe calamities. The turnover ceremony was led by Embassy of Japan First Secretary Akasaka Hidenori and was also attended by National Food Authority (NFA) Deputy Administrator Mario Andrada, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Undersecretary for Disaster Management Diana Rose Cajipe, and APTERR General Manager Choomjet Karnjanakesorn.