The United States will be providing another $1 million for urgent humanitarian aid for the Philippines after facing six typhoons in less than a month.
It was announced by US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin during his meeting with President Marcos at the Malacañan Palace on Monday, Nov. 18.
"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.
Austin said it is in addition to the nearly 100,000 pounds of supplies that they delivered after Typhoon Julian.
The US official has also echoed the President's statement on utilizing the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites for relief operations during calamities, which he ordered during the onslaught of typhoon Kristine in late October.
"[Y]ou mentioned the EDCA sites, it was your vision a while back that these sites could be used to do exactly what you’ve described—prepositioning supplies, food, and other elements, other personal elements in times of urgent need," Austin said.
"It would enable us to serve the Filipino people much faster, much more efficiently. And that your vision has come true. So, we’re glad we play a part of that," he added.
After typhoon Kristine, five more storms have hit the Philippines. Marcos said they dubbed these as the KLMNOP series of typhoons—Kristine, Leon, Marce, Nika, Ofel, and Pepito.
Marcos told Austin that the government has done a better job in responding to the series of typhoons with the use of the EDCA sites.
"We were able to do a better job than we would have done otherwise because of the EDCA sites which we conducted a great many of our aid missions and to the benefit of those who had been isolated," Marcos told Austin.
Marcos added that the EDCA sites became a staging area for relief missions, especially in situations when only an aerial response can reach certain typhoon-ravaged places.
"Before, when we know that a storm is coming, we prepositioned as many assets, material as we can, as close as possible so as not to damage the actual resources that we have. And the EDCA sites became staging areas because right after the storm, many areas can only be reached by helicopter. And many roads closed because of landslides and therefore, even the main capital of provinces can only be reached by aircraft," Marcos said.
"And so we have used to the great extent the EDCA sites and I just like to remind everyone of the wisdom behind that and how it has become extremely useful in the face of these uncertain effects of climate change," he added.
During their meeting, Austin also offered his condolences and prayers to all those who’ve been affected by the six significant storms that have taken place in the country.