EU, US, China beef up Egay relief efforts
People wade through a flooded street in Dagupan City, Pangasinan, on July 30, 2023. (Photo by Agence France-Presse)
MANILA, Philippines — Aid is pouring in from the international community to help families and communities hit hard by Egay (international name: Doksuri), even as a new storm on the trail of that typhoon continues to pour heavy rain on Northern Luzon and other parts of the country.
Meanwhile, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has assured families left homeless by Egay that they will be provided assistance in housing repairs and other emergency support.
Marcos led relief efforts on Saturday when he visited his home region of Ilocos for a series of inspections and briefings with local officials.
The biggest assistance pledge so far, at an initial 500,000 euros or approximately P30.3 million, is from the European Union, which said the package will be used to provide emergency shelter and repair and clean water and sanitation to the most affected areas, including Cagayan Valley, Ilocos Region, and Cordillera Administrative Region.
“Without delay, we have initiated emergency relief efforts in close collaboration with our humanitarian partners to aid those affected during this challenging period.
These efforts will complement and be done in coordination with ongoing national and local relief efforts,” Janez Lenarčič, EU commissioner for humanitarian aid and crisis management, said in a statement on Saturday.
Aside from the EU, China also sent relief efforts to affected communities in Northern Philippines.
Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian posted on social media that “Relief efforts by Chinese Embassy in Manila together with Chinese Consulate in Laoag continue. 6,000 food bags are on the way to provinces of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Cagayan and La Union.”
The United States Embassy in Manila likewise announced its own humanitarian efforts, saying in a tweet on Friday: “Through existing (US Agency for International Development) USAID disaster preparedness funding, (World Food Programme) WFP Philippines mobilized trucks to help (Department of Social Welfare and Development) DSWD transport 11,000 family food packs to provinces affected by typhoon #EgayPH.”
