CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (Mindanao Examiner / Dec. 23, 2011) – While Filipino troops were fighting time to save as much as many victims of flash floods brought about by tropical storm Washi in Mindanao, US forces stationed in the southern Philippines have not deployed its soldiers to help in the rescue efforts to the calamity that killed over 1,000 people.
The US Joint Special Operations Task Force-Philippines based in Zamboanga City have not sent any soldiers to help in the rescue operations launched by the Filipino military in northern Mindanao, particularly in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan cities where flash floods also left thousands of villagers homeless.
Filipino soldiers, equipped with small rubber boats and rope, helped rescue hundreds of civilians trapped in their houses day and night.
While US troops have at their disposal bigger rubber boats, helicopters, night vision equipment and did not volunteer or offer any assistance to the local military to help in the rescue operation.
Filipino military officials said they were told that US troops would only help if the Philippine government would make a formal request for them to assist in the rescue.
“This is a humanitarian effort and does not need any request and if they wanted to help they could have volunteered and we could have save more lives,” one Filipino army officer told the Mindanao Examiner.
Despite this, the U.S. embassy said Washington provided $100,000 to support disaster relief efforts for the flood victims after President Benigno Aquino declared a state of national calamity.
Ambassador Harry Thomas said the U.S. government through the United States Agency for International Development’s Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance will provide immediate emergency relief assistance in partnership with U.S.-based non-governmental organization Catholic Relief Services.
“From our discussions with the Philippine authorities, it appears that among the immediate needs of flood-affected communities are non-food emergency supplies, including water purification tablets, hygiene kits, and containers for potable water, so the United States’ initial contribution in this instance will be used to provide these types of items to the most-affected individuals in Mindanao,” Thomas said.
“As a good friend and longstanding development partner, the United States will continue our work with the Philippine government and remain committed to help Filipinos overcome this great tragedy,” he added.
He said for 50 years the U.S. has been a key partner of the Philippines in addressing the humanitarian needs of Filipinos in times of disaster. The United States was among the countries that took an active role in contributing to recovery efforts following typhoons in 2006, 2008 and in 2009.
Some 600 US soldiers are stationed in Zamboanga City and in Basilan and Sulu provinces since 2002 and the JSOTF-P maintains liaison officers and small team of troops in other parts of Mindanao to assist and train Filipino soldiers in fighting terrorism and in the conduct of humanitarian missions in the southern region. (Mindanao Examiner)
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