THE US government through the United States Agency for International Development has given the Philippines an additional $3.5 million (about P170 million) in funding assistance aimed at bolstering its capacity to help protect high-risk communities from the impact of natural disasters.
US Embassy chargé d’affaires John Law yesterday said the USAID will assist communities in Metro Manila, Northern Samar and Maguindanao which are highly prone to frequent floodings, typhoons, and earthquakes.
Law said the USAID will boost the capacity of community leaders and local government units in those areas to mitigate disaster risks, improve early warning systems, and develop better protocols for more rapid disaster response.
“Through this assistance, we hope that Filipino communities are able to prepare, mitigate, and recover quickly from the negative impacts of natural disasters,” Law said.
He added that the funding assistance will also help train evacuation assistance managers to organize safe evacuation procedures that include safeguards and social distancing given the current COVID-19 pandemic.
The announcement of additional assistance coincided with the October 13 commemoration of the International Day for Disaster Reduction, which encourages citizens and governments to take part in building more disaster-resilient communities and nations, the US Embassy said.
