Manila: The United States has pledged USD1 million in humanitarian funding to the Philippines following a series of devastating typhoons that have recently impacted the country. This announcement was made by US Defense Secretary Lloyd James Austin III during a courtesy call to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. at Malacañang.
According to Philippines News Agency, Austin expressed condolences on behalf of the US to the victims of the six typhoons that struck the Philippines in rapid succession. He reaffirmed the US’s commitment to assist its long-standing ally, the Philippines, in these challenging times. Austin stated, “I have authorized US troops and all the Philippine forces to provide life-saving aid to the Filipino people. The US has also secured another million dollar in urgent humanitarian aid and that will enhance the work of the USAID (United States Agency for International Development) and the World Food Programme.”
Austin’s visit to Manila also included the signing of a new agreement aimed at facil
itating the exchange of classified military information between the Philippines and the US. President Marcos highlighted the significance of the new General Security and Military Information Agreement, describing it as a crucial step in maintaining the interoperability of the US and Philippine military forces.
President Marcos also emphasized the importance of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites in enhancing the country’s disaster response capabilities. These sites are instrumental in prepositioning relief goods, personnel, and equipment, as well as facilitating rescue operations. “It has become really useful in the face of these uncertain times,” Marcos noted.
The EDCA, signed in 2014, allows for joint training between Filipino and American soldiers and permits the US to build facilities and preposition supplies and equipment at strategically located bases in the Philippines. There are currently nine EDCA sites across the country, including Cesar Basa Air Base in Pampanga, Fort Magsaysa
y Military Reservation in Nueva Ecija, and several others across the nation.
