President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. welcomes United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd James Austin III in a courtesy call in Malacañang on Nov. 18, 2024. During their meeting, Austin said the US would provide $1 million, or approximately P58.7 million, to the Philippines in aid to the victims of Severe Tropical Storm Pepito (Photo courtesy of NOEL B. PABALATE / PPA Pool).
MANILA, Philippines — The United States (US) government has pledged $1-million aid (approximately P58.7 million) for the victims of Severe Tropical Storm Pepito (international name: Man-yi).
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd James Austin III announced it during a courtesy call with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Malacañang on Monday.
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“Mr. President, I have authorized US troops and all the Philippine forces to provide life-saving aid to the Filipino people. The US has also secured another million dollars in urgent humanitarian aid, and that will enhance the work of the USAID [United States Agency for International Development] and the World Food Programme,” Austin told Marcos.
The amount is on top of the $5.5 million provided to the Philippine government through USAID last September, Austin added.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. welcomes United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd James Austin III in a courtesy call in Malacañang on Nov. 18, 2024. During their meeting, Austin said the US would provide $1 million, or approximately P58.7 million, to the Philippines in aid to the victims of Severe Tropical Storm Pepito (Photo courtesy of NOEL B. PABALATE / PPA Pool).
The US also utilized its assets to deliver around 50 tons of relief items to storm victims.
For his part, Marcos highlighted the role of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement sites, particularly in bringing aid to areas devastated by recent calamities.
“We were able to do a better job than we would have done otherwise because of the EDCA sites, where we conducted a great many of our aid missions to the benefit of those who had been isolated,” Marcos said.
“They served as staging areas actually for, before, when we know that the storm is coming, we prepositioned as much, as many assets, material as we can, as close as possible, so as not to damage the actual resources that we have,” he added.