Malta’s Prince concludes seven day official visit to the Philippines

The Sovereign Order of Malta donates 700 houses for Yolanda survivors; symbolic key handed to President Aquino during Fra’ Festing’s courtesy call

MANILA — The Prince and Grand Master of the Sovereign Order of Malta Fra’ Matthew Festing on Saturday night concluded his seven-day official visit to the country.

Fra’ Festing boarded commercial plane Cathay Pacific flight CX 902 bound for Hong Kong which left Manila at 7:55 p.m. He will then proceed to a connecting flight to Rome, Italy for his trip to Europe.

There to bid him farewell were Vice President Jejomar Binay, Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman, and Manila International Airport Authority General Manager Jose Angel Honrado.

While in the Philippines Fra’ Festing made a courtesy call on President Benigno S. Aquino III on March 3, where he also presented a symbolic key representing Malta’s donation of 700 core shelters to the Philippines.

On March 5, he visited Basey, Samar to check the 350 core shelters donated by his country.

Basey was one of the towns reduced to ruins by Typhoon Yolanda in November 2013.