(Eagle News) — The United States government said it is sending P10 million ($200,000) in aid to the Philippines to support communities affected by super typhoon Odette (international name Rai), the US embassy said on Wednesday, December 22.
The aid will be coursed through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) as immediate assistance to areas affected by the super typhoon which had made a record of nine landfalls in the country, from Mindanao to the Visayas region.
U.S. Embassy in the Philippines Chargé d’Affaires (CDA) ad Interim Heather Variava also extended her deepest sympathies to those affected by Typhoon Odette and assured Filipinos of the United States’ ongoing commitment to providing assistance.
“The United States is providing Php10 million in immediate support, including food and shelter for communities affected by Typhoon Odette,” CDA Variava said.
“We are committed to working alongside our friends and partners to provide emergency supplies and recovery assistance,” she said.
The US government said it would continue to assist Philippine government’s relief efforts at this time of need.
The USAID is partnering with Action Against Hunger to provide food, water, hygiene supplies, and other relief items to people affected by the typhoon in Surigao del Norte and Dinagat Islands, the US embassy statement said.
This will serve as initial USAID assistance to help restore water supply services and sanitation facilities, as well as promote hygiene practices to keep people safe and healthy.
-Malacanang thanks US gov’t for aid-
Malacanang, through Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar, thanked the US embassy for this offer of assistance.
“We’ve been calling on the public and to everyone to display genuine compassion and generosity to our kababayans who are seeking shelter and warmth after their homes were wrecked by the typhoon,” he said.
“And we are very thankful for the charity and support that the US Embassy and Chargé d’Affaires Variava has shown us in order to help those who are still in need of our assistance,” he added.
USAID works year-round to help communities in the Philippines prepare for and be more resilient to natural disasters, the US Embassy said.
“As part of USAID’s ongoing disaster preparedness assistance, it is supporting the United Nations World Food Program in transporting relief supplies, including enough food provided by the Philippine government to feed 20,000 families, and deploying mobile operations vehicles to support emergency telecommunications,” it said.
USAID said it is also partnering with the International Organization for Migration “to help manage evacuation shelters and provide critical relief supplies, including heavy-duty plastic sheeting to meet critical shelter needs for 3,800 families.”
“The United States will continue to partner with the Philippines to better respond to natural disasters and support Filipinos in their recovery efforts. Since 2010, USAID has provided over Php16.9 billion ($340 million) in disaster relief and recovery aid, and boosted the disaster risk reduction capacity of over 100 cities and municipalities in the Philippines,” the US embassy statement said.
(Eagle News Service)