US to provide $8.5-million food assistance for typhoon victims

MANILA, Philippines - Visiting US Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced yesterday the US government would provide $8.5 million in food assistance for the 60-day sustenance of an estimated 438,000 typhoon victims. 

During a meeting with President Arroyo and Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap, Vilsack said the commodity donations come from the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food for Progress program for the Philippines.

“The United States understands the importance of international assistance in the aftermath of disasters like the typhoons that recently hit the Philippines,” he said.

“The food aid I am announcing today will help the people with the most need of assistance, and as a longstanding friend and partner of the Philippines, the United States stands ready to continue our cooperation and assistance in the future.”

The Food for Progress allocations are for roughly 7,000 metric tons of US rice and 680 metric tons of non-fat dry milk.

These will be processed into ultra high temperature milk and biscuits and distributed to flood victims.

The Philippines is the largest recipient of US food aid programs in Asia, with programs dating back to 1995.

In 2009, the USDA signed three Food for Progress agreements with the Philippines valued at $25 million.

Food for Progress has consistently helped developing countries advance economic reform and expand private enterprise.

It has, in its 24 years of existence, played an important role in helping developing countries support their agricultural sector.

The Food for Progress program provides US agricultural commodities to developing countries and emerging democracies committed to introducing and expanding free enterprise in the agricultural sector.

Commodities are currently provided on a donation basis to foreign governments, private voluntary organizations, non-profit organizations, cooperatives or intergovernmental organizations.

Projects are chosen based on their agricultural focus, the country’s needs, the proposal’s quality and the organization’s management, experience and financial and technical capabilities.

Vilsack arrived in Manila with top executives of 20 US agribusiness companies for a four-day mission geared to further strengthen trade and investment ties between the two countries in the areas of fisheries, biofuels, livestock, poultry and dairy production.

Highlighting the Philippine trip of the US Agribusiness Trade and Investment Mission are separate meetings of this top-level delegation with President Arroyo and Cabinet executives led by Yap, along with officials of almost 200 local companies and of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).

Vilsack is in the Philippines to open a US Trade Mission to further solidify direct commercial relations between US and Philippine producers, processors, traders, and investors.

Yap said the itinerary of the Vilsack-led mission also includes a business forum at the Shangri-La Hotel in Makati; agricultural briefings, laboratory tours and a palay-harvesting activity at the IRRI headquarters in Los Baños, Laguna; milk and biscuit distribution in a public elementary school as well as a tour of a private flour mill.

Represented in the US mission are agribusiness companies Agri-Ima GIS Technology; American Trading Services, LLC; Cargill, Inc.; EcoVative Resources; Garuda International; Hima International; Intervision Foods; Kraft Foods; Land O’Lakes; Novick Industries Ltd.; The Alan Group; US Fed Group; Valmont Industries, Inc.; and Verdant Ocean, Inc.

Vilsack’s group was scheduled to visit IRRI on Sunday with US Ambassador Kristie Kenney, Yap and other Department of Agriculture officials.

After his visit, Vilsack will proceed to China to participate in bilateral meetings on agricultural trade and development.

Vilsack will take part in the Oct. 28-29 meeting of the US-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade in Hangzhou, along with US Trade Representative Ron Kirk and Commerce Secretary Gary Locke.

Taiwan donates 8 tons of goods

Eight tons of relief goods from Taiwan arrived yesterday at Villamor Air Base aboard a Taiwan military aircraft.

Donated to the victims of storm “Ondoy” and typhoon “Pepeng,” the relief goods included assorted noodles, biscuits, towels, clothes, slippers, sweet canned corn, toiletries and detergent, as well as underwear and assorted medical supplies.

These were turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Manila Economic and Cultural Office director Manuel Barcelona and Taipei Economic and Cultural Office deputy representative Michael C.Y. Hsu met the planeload of goods.

Barcelona said he is very thankful to TECO officials for their initiative in donating the needed supplies through the help of the Go Guang Monastery in Taiwan and the Buddha Light Foundation.

This is Taiwan’s fourth donation of food supplies and medicine for typhoon victims, he added.

Unicef response to last 4 months

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) expects its emergency response to last four months as the needs of children affected by Ondoy are still very critical.

“UNICEF brings its emergency expertise in a coordinated response to address all the aspects of a child’s life,” said UNICEF Representative Vanessa Tobin.

“Having gone through something as shocking as this, children will need the help quickly, if only we give them the support that they need.”

UNICEF is delivering supplies and services for affected children a month after the onslaught of Ondoy.

The UN agency asked its offices in developed countries to help raise more funds for the flood victims.

It also joined in a flash appeal to raise $74 million for agriculture, camp coordination and management, early recovery, food, health, livelihood, logistics and emergency communications, shelter, non-food items, education, child protection and water sanitation.

UNICEF delivered essential supplies within 24 hours of the storm that devastated Metro Manila to benefit children displaced by the massive flooding.

UNICEF is also on the ground, managing a coordinated response to the needs of children in health and nutrition, education, child protection and water and sanitation. – Pia Lee-Brago, Paolo Romero, Rudy Santos