MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / Dec. 21, 2011) – The death toll in the Philippine flash floods have reached more than 1,000 and over a billion pesos in damages to properties and agriculture in northern Mindanao as President Benigno Aquino continues his appeal for more aid.
Aquino has released over P60 million in funding to the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan to help them cope with the human devastation brought about by tropical storm Washi.
Aquino has declared a state of national calamity.
Ambassador Harry Thomas, Jr. said the U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) 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,” he said.
USAID and OFDA sent a team earlier this week to visit flood-stricken areas in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan, and on-going assessments are being conducted to determine whether additional funding might be needed to assist with relief and recovery operations.
“As a good friend and longstanding development partner, the United States Mindanao Examiner)
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