The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is providing an additional P400 million ($8 million) in assistance to the country to aid the recovery of millions of Filipinos affected by Typhoon Odette.
USAID Assistant to the Administrator (AA) Sarah Charles announced this on behalf of the American people on Monday.
This brings to P1.4 billion ($29.2 million) the total amount of aid the US government has given through USAID to assist the Philippines in responding to the immediate needs of those affected by the typhoon.
Over the weekend, AA Charles, who leads USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance, also distributed shelter supplies in Barangay Caridad in Pilar municipality in Surigao del Norte province. She met with local government officials and heard updates from USAID partners on the ground.
“The U.S. government continues to support the people most affected by Typhoon Odette, the world’s worst cyclone event of 2021,” said Charles.
“The United States is pleased to provide this additional assistance to meet the recovery needs of individuals and families in the areas hardest hit by Typhoon Odette, and we will continue to work with our partners in the Philippines and across the region to help communities prepare for such disasters and build greater resilience.”
With the additional aid, USAID partners will provide emergency maternal and child health services, repair damaged health centers, extend protection services for vulnerable persons, support the livelihoods recovery for farmers and fisherfolk, and assist households in rebuilding their homes in safe locations.
Since December, USAID and partners Action Against Hunger, Catholic Relief Services, World Food Programme, and the International Organization for Migration have provided food, emergency cash, water, hygiene supplies, and other relief items to people affected by the typhoon across the southern Philippines and helped over 8,000 families rebuild their homes.
The US government works year-round to help communities in the Philippines prepare for and be more resilient to natural disasters.
“The United States will continue to partner with the Philippines to better respond to natural disasters and support Filipinos in their recovery efforts,” the USAID statement added.
Since 2010, the United States, through USAID, has provided over P17 billion ($351 million) in disaster relief and recovery aid, and boosted the disaster risk reduction capacity of more than 100 cities and municipalities in the Philippines.
