US gov’t donates $12.4-M in aid to typhoon victims

by Che Palicte
THE United States government has donated a total of $12.4 million or P 508.4 million in humanitarian assistance through the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) for victims of Typhoon Pablo in Mindanao.
This, according to Stephen Anderson, representative and country director of the United Nations World Food Program, during a press briefing at the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) depot in Panacan, Davao City.
Anderson said that the WFP welcomes the timely and generous cash donation given from the US government which greatly boosts the program’s ability to support the government of the Philippines in the enormous task of helping families severely affected by the typhoon.
“WFP depends entirely on voluntary donations, and we are thankful for the support of the US government and its unending help to typhoon victims. They are the largest donor,” he said.
The US assistance will complement early recovery activities of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and WFP to affected communities through the cash-for-work program which will be rolled out in areas where local markets are functioning properly. He said the program is designed to address immediate food security needs while stimulating the local economy in affected areas by empowering communities with capability to buy food items of their choice from the market.
“With the program, we want the people devastated by Pablo to get back on their feet as quickly as possible,” Anderson said, adding that they are giving P50 million to the program to urgently finish debris clean-up and support the livelihood of people in ravaged areas.
Anderson led the handover ceremony of the first 1,750 of the 5,550 metric tons of rice donated by USAID together with United States Agency for International Development (USAID) mission director Gloria Steele, DSWD regional director Priscilla Razon and Mindanao Development Authority (MINDA) executive director Janet Lopoz. He added that the balance of aid will be handed over in February.
Steele said that the amount given by the US government may not replace the lives lost to Typhoon Pablo, but they are impressed and they appreciate the effort of the Philippine government in its outstanding cooperation in the entire relief operations.
“Mindanao has always been the priority of the United States in the last 20 years, and we will continue to help Mindanao not only during disasters but in follow-up projects to be implemented, such as economic growth and health education for Mindanaoans,” Steele said.