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Cablegate: Additional Usg Disaster Aid for Philippines

VZCZCXRO4118
OO RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHML #2339 3140853
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 100853Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY MANILA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5704
RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RHOVQHS/COMSEVENTHFLT IMMEDIATE
INFO RHHMUNA/USPACOM HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA IMMEDIATE 2316
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0341
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS IMMEDIATE
RUEHRO/USMISSION UN ROME IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS MANILA 002339

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

BANGKOK FOR USAID /OFDA REGIONAL ADVISOR A. DWYER
USAID FOR DCHA/OFDA R. THAYER
USAID W/ FOR ANE/AA AND DCHA/FPP
GENEVA FOR N. KYLOH
USUN FOR OFDA REP
BRUSSELS FOR P. BROWN
ROME FOR USAID/OHA H. SPANOS
SECDEF FOR SOLIC
JOINT STAFF WASHDC FOR J3/J4/J5
PACOM FOR J3/J4/J5
NSC FOR P. MARCHAM

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID SOCI PREL KPAO SENV EAGR RP
SUBJECT: ADDITIONAL USG DISASTER AID FOR PHILIPPINES

REFTELS: A) Manila 2308


1. (SBU) The U.S. Government (USG) is providing $5.2 million in new
disaster relief assistance to the Philippines to meet vital
education, water and sanitation, health, and disaster preparedness
needs. These funds are in addition to the more than $16 million in
rescue and relief aid that the USG has already provided in response
to the three massive storms that have devastated the northern
Philippine island of Luzon in the last six weeks. Tropical Storm
Ketsana (local name Ondoy), Typhoon Parma (Pepeng), and Typhoon
Mirinae (Santi) have claimed almost a thousand lives and inflicted
over half a billion dollars worth of damage to crops and
infrastructure (reftel A). More than 260,000 houses were damaged or
destroyed and extensive areas remain flooded in waist-deep water,
leaving 150,000 Filipinos homeless and threatening many more with
water-borne disease.

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---------------------------------
Practical and Targeted Assistance
---------------------------------

2. (SBU) The new assistance consists of $2 million in new USAID
Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) funds, and an
additional $3.2 million that USAID has reprogrammed from existing
bilateral aid programs to help jump start disaster recovery efforts.
The aid targets immediate needs in the sectors of:

-- Education: $2 million to refurbish schools, construct 20 new
classrooms and 40 computer laboratories, provide 300,000 books, as
well as chairs and desks for 15,000 students;

-- Water and Sanitation: $1.7 million to provide clean water,
sanitation facilities, wastewater and solid waste management, and
technical assistance to rebuild damaged infrastructure;

-- Health: $500,000 to refurbish health clinics, and provide
medical supplies and technical assistance to address infectious
diseases and child/maternal health;

-- Disaster Preparedness: $500,000 for climate change adaptation to
assist flood-prone municipalities map vulnerable areas and reduce
risk.

-------------------------------
Beyond Relief to Reconstruction
-------------------------------
3. (SBU) This package was drawn up in close consultation with
Philippine government disaster relief officials, non-governmental
organizations, international institutions, and other donor nations.
It will help sustain relief efforts and will support the
Post-Disaster Needs Assessment that is being coordinated through the
World Bank and is slated for completion within the next month.
Secretary Clinton could announce this package during her November
12-13 visit to the Philippines.

Kenney

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