The Philippines and the United States (US) reaffirmed their deepening cooperation on humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR), with Washington committing an additional $1.5 million in emergency assistance to bolster ongoing relief operations in typhoon-hit areas. The fresh commitment was announced by US Ambassador MaryKay Carlson on Saturday during her joint visit with Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. to Clark Air Base in Pampanga, where Philippine and US personnel have been preparing thousands of family food packs (FFPs) for airlift to Catanduanes and other affected provinces. The new funding brings total US support for the current disaster response to $2.5 million following the onslaught of twin typhoons Tino and Uwan that ravaged several regions in Luzon and Visayas. Carlson commended Philippine and US responders for their tight coordination in sustaining airlift operations under challenging conditions. “Your dedication, teamwork, and compassion embody the very best of what partnership represents,” Carlson said, noting the continued support from US Indo-Pacific Command units participating in AFP-led humanitarian missions. Teodoro thanked the US for its rapid assistance and emphasized that joint responses to crises consistently reinforce the alliance. “I believe that the alliance between the United States and the Philippines becomes stronger every time we are tested together,” he said. “It’s the unquantifiables that are more important — the commitment, the reassurance that we both give each other … it’s about helping those who are defenseless, those who need help, and those who are yet to be born.” As of Nov. 15, the Department of Social Welfare and Development has allocated 10,000 FPPs for Catanduanes. Of these, 8,500 FFPs have already reached Virac, while 1,500 FFPs are en route. Teodoro and Carlson observed staging, loading, and rapid airlift operations, inspected the contents of an opened FFP, and conducted a cabin tour of a US C-130 humanitarian aircraft. Parallel to the Clark operations, a Philippine Navy-Marine HADR contingent arrived at Naval Base Rafael Ramos in Lapu-Lapu City to reinforce clearing, search and rescue, and relief efforts in Balamban, Cebu, where several communities remain difficult to access. The contingent includes the Philippine Marine Corps HADR Company and engineering units from the Naval Combat Engineering Brigade. Navy and Marine officials said the deployment forms part of the AFP’s continuing effort to deliver “timely and effective” assistance to disaster-affected areas. PNA PHOTO