After consulting with the Government of the Philippines (GPH), the U.S. Embassy in Manila today mobilized funds from USAID's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) to providenon-food commodities to vulnerable families affected by flooding and landslides. The Embassy is working in close coordination with the Government of the Philippines (GPH) to bolster its ongoing response to thefloods.

As a result of severe and widespread flooding and landslides in Metro Manila, neighboring provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Pampanga, Bataan and others in the western region of Luzon that began on August 18, U.S. Ambassador Harry K. Thomas, Jr. today determined that the disaster is of sufficient magnitude to warrant a response from the U.S. Government.

"USAID/OFDA, working with USAID/Philippines, and the U.S. Embassy canvassed relief organizations operating in the area, and determined that the increasing number of displaced families seeking safe refuge from various evacuation centers and vulnerable families needing emergency assistance warranted an offer of assistance from the U.S. Government," Ambassador Thomas said. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to all of those who are affected by the floods, those who have lost loved ones, and important possessions. I want Filipinos to know that the United States stands by them in times of need."

USAID/Philippines Mission Director Gloria Steele noted that $50,000 for emergency non-food assistance along with an additional $500,000 for warehousing and logistics support (totaling PhP23,650,000) from USAID/OFDA" will be channeled through a humanitarian agency working in the Philippines to facilitate the immediate delivery of non-food relief items, potentially including jerry cans, household kits, and tarps, to flood-affected communities."