11 months after yolanda: US continues aid in relief, rebuilding works

CEBU, Philippines - Eleven months after typhoon Yolanda devastated some parts of the Visayas, the United States government, in a statement released by the US Embassy in Manila, had reassured the survivors of its continued assistance in relief and reconstruction work in partnership with the Philippine government.

“The projects we see today are borne from the strong partnership between the US and Philippine governments. As we work together in planting the seeds of recovery, we also direct our efforts toward ensuring that you will be stronger and better equipped to face future disasters,” said Gloria Steele, mission director of the US Embassy Manila’s United States Agency for International Development.

Overall, the US Embassy said the US government’s support to the Philippines for Yolanda recovery stands at about $142.5 million.

Last week, Steele led the turnover of two school buildings at the Tacloban National Agricultural School. These buildings contained 10 of the more than 165 classrooms to be build by the US government in the Philippines. Each building is designed to withstand winds up to 360kph and a magnitude-8.5 earthquake.

Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez thanked the American people for their ongoing support. His city was one of the areas hit hardest by Yolanda, which left more than 6,000 dead last November 18.

“We will no longer be scared of typhoons and other calamities because the new classrooms are stronger than the ones we occupied,” the US Embassy statement quoted eighth-grade student Angelica Dupa as saying.

The recovery and reconstruction efforts are part of the USAID Rebuild project, in which the US government is also working with Coca-Cola and Procter & Gamble in restocking 1,000 sari-sari stores. “Store owners will be trained in basic store management and microcredit,” the Embassy said.

Steele aslo gave assistance to the Barangay Basper Farmers Association, TNAS General Parent-Teacher Association, Tagpuro Women’s Seaweed Association and the Old Kawayan Fisherfolks Association.

The USAID official also went to Ormoc City where she launched the US government’s project “Preventing Trafficking in Persons through Sustainable Livelihood Recovery for Typhoon Affected People.” It is aimed at reducing the vulnerability of typhoon-affected residents to human trafficking. —PR (FREEMAN)