U.S. Embassy Mobilizes Disaster Assistance for Philippines Floods

From the Philippine News Agency (Aug 20): U.S. Embassy Mobilizes Disaster Assistance for Philippines Floods

The U.S. government on Tuesday provided P23.65-million worth of humanitarian assistance to thousands of families affected by the massive flooding in the Philippines.

In a statement, the U.S. Embassy announced that it has mobilized funds from USAID's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) to provide non-food commodities to vulnerable families affected by flooding and landslides.

"The Embassy is working in close coordination with the Government of the Philippines to bolster its ongoing response to the floods," it said.

As a result of severe and widespread flooding and landslides in Metro Manila, neighboring provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Pampanga, Bataan and others in the western region of Luzon that began on August 18, U.S. Ambassador Harry Thomas, Jr. said the disaster is of "sufficient magnitude" to warrant a response from the U.S. Government.

"USAID/OFDA, working withUSAID/Philippines, and the U.S. Embassy canvassed relief organizations operating in the area, and determined that the increasing number of displaced families seeking safe refuge from various evacuation centers and vulnerable families needing emergency assistance warranted an offer of assistance from the U.S. Government," Thomas said.

"Our thoughts and prayers go out to all of those who are affected by the floods, those who have lost loved ones, and important possessions. I want Filipinos to know that the United States stands by them in times of need."

USAID/Philippines Mission Director Gloria Steele noted that $ 50,000 for emergency non-food assistance along with an additional $ 500,000 for warehousing and logistics support from USAID/OFDA will be channeled through a humanitarian agency working in the Philippines to facilitate the immediate delivery of non-food relief items, potentially including jerry cans, household kits, and tarps, to flood-affected communities."

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=557159