The United States Indo-Pacific Command deployed Marine Corps and Air Force Ospreys and Air Force MC-130Js in support of the Philippines’ disaster response operations to deliver life-saving relief items to Northern Luzon communities recently affected by consecutive storms and the southwest monsoon (habagat).
This followed a request from the Philippine government and was done in coordination with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
In coordination with the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), Ospreys participated in AFP-led airlift operations on Wednesday and Thursday to transport 600 Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) family food packs (FFPs) and emergency relief items from Clark Air Base to Basco, Batanes.
Meanwhile, operations to deliver 5,700 additional DSWD-provided FFPs to affected areas will continue in the coming days. US aircraft and personnel likewise remain ready to help the AFP deliver more life-saving aid where it is needed most.
“The United States stands shoulder to shoulder with our Filipino allies, especially in responding to disasters… We are grateful to the combined relief and rescue teams who have been working tirelessly on the ground to deliver emergency assistance to affected residents,” US Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson said.
The US Embassy in Manila has been working closely with the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), OCD, DSWD, and the World Food Programme (WFP) to deliver food and relief supplies to Central and Northern Luzon.
As of Tuesday, the WFP, through approximately P13.8 million ($250,000) in funding support from the US Department of State, mobilized trucks that delivered more than 47,700 DSWD-provided FFPs in Ilocos Norte, La Union, and Pangasinan, providing emergency relief to more than 200,000 persons affected by severe flooding.
