The United Arab Emirates dispatched an aircraft, which arrived in the Philippines" capital of Manila on Thursday, carrying medical supplies, including 100,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses, as part of the UAE"s ongoing efforts to support countries in containing the COVID-19 pandemic. Khaled Al Hajri, Chargé d"Affaires at the UAE Embassy in Manila, said that this step aligns with the UAE leadership"s keenness to support efforts made by authorities in the Philippines to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. He noted that the Philippines was among the first countries to receive medical aid from the UAE, wherein the UAE sent an aircraft carrying 7.3 metric tons of medical supplies in April 2020. Al Hajri highlighted the deep ties between the UAE and the Philippines, which span several decades. Since the pandemic"s onset, the UAE has provided more than 2,250 metric tons of aid to more than 136 countries.