The Manila Economic and Cultural Office has turned over 20,000 sacks of rice donated by the Taiwanese government to the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

In a statement on Sunday, MECO said it accepted the donation from Taipei Economic and Cultural Office head Wallace Minn-Gan Chow, the Taiwan Representative to the Philippines, in a turnover ceremony last week.

"We sincerely appreciate the donation, and we are most grateful to TECO and the government of Taiwan for their generosity," MECO said, adding that the act further enhances relations between the two countries.

The rice stocks, which arrived in the Port of Manila late last month, consisted of half of the 2,000-metric-ton rice donation of Taiwan made through the TECO.

Officials of MECO and TECO, representatives from the DSWD, and other government agencies attended the turnover ceremony.

In accepting the donation, MECO said the rice will go a long way in providing relief to poor Filipino households and families, and those affected by calamities.

He also said that the stocks have been turned over to DSWD for distribution to identified beneficiaries.

TECO said the other half of the 40,000-sack rice donation will be shipped to the Philippines soonest.