(Eagle News)–The United States on Thursday, May 7, announced an additional P298 million in aid to the Philippines in its fight against COVID-19.
In a statement, the US embassy in Manila said with the amount, the total US COVID-19 assistance given to the archipelago now amounts to over P768 million.
As part of the additional assistance, the US embassy said the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) will partner with 18 local governments in some of the Philippines’ hardest-hit areas to promote effective crisis management and implement response plans.
The additional aid will also support local governments to “rapidly disburse emergency funding and supplies, and strengthen the capacity of local crisis response centers to disseminate accurate and timely crisis response information, manage quarantine measures, set up public handwashing facilities, ensure food supply, and support local business recovery.”
The US embassy said the new assistance tranche will also help provide supply chain analytics and promote a regulatory environment that facilitates logistics and transportation for food, medical products, and other essential goods.
USAID will also facilitate access to credit and provide grants and skills training to heavily affected sectors and communities to assist in the recovery of small and micro-enterprises.
Of the additional aid, P44 million from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration for the International Committee of the Red Cross will help fund increasing stocks of essential medical supplies and expanding hospital capacity, preventing the spread of disease in detention centers, and supporting resilience for vulnerable people and communities.
“This latest assistance builds on our long-standing relationships with local government units across the Philippines, and represents our continued commitment to our Filipino friends, partners, and allies in this time of crisis,” US ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim said.
