Residents clean their homes after flood water subsided in San Antonio 1, Noveleta, Cavite on Oct. 31, 2022. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News
MANILA (UPDATE) — The United States, China, Japan, and Australia have pledged assistance for the Philippines after it was battered by tropical storm Paeng over the weekend.
In a Facebook post on Monday, the US Embassy in the Philippines said it supported the transport of 10,000 family food packs from the Department of Social Welfare and Development to South Cotabato, one of the provinces hit by Paeng.
"An additional 25 trucks are mobilizing to deliver emergency food and relief supplies from to families affected by the storm... We stand with our Filipino #FriendsPartnersAllies in this time of crisis," the US Embassy said.
China said it "took swift action to donate the first batch of disaster relief materials to Datu Odin Sinsuat, North Maguindanao Province," where Paeng triggered deadly flash floods.
The Chinese Embassy said it brought thousands of cases of distilled water, instant noodles, water containers, rice, toothbrushes, coffee, isopropyl alcohol, and anti-mosquito gels to the affected areas in Mindanao.
Japan's Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa expressed his condolences to the families of Paeng's victims and said that Tokyo is "ready to provide the maximum possible assistance to the Philippines."
Australian Ambassador to the Philippines HK Yu likewise offered assistance to the country.
"Australia offers its heartfelt thoughts to those in Philippines whose lives have been affected by #PaengPH. We stand with our friends at this difficult time and are ready to provide assistance as required," she said.
"Australia is providing life-saving family kits to the most affected communities in the BARMM. This assistance will ensure that those most severely affected by PaengPH will have fast access to priority needs," the envoy said on Twitter.
Up to "500 family kits including emergency household items like sleeping kits, jerry cans, hygiene kits, and tarps to provide urgent support to the most affected communities in Maguindanao and Zamboanga" will be immediately deployed through the Philippine Red Cross, she said.
The PRC said during the day that it welcomes donations to support its ongoing relief operations for families affected by Paeng.
"Ang PRC ay hinihikayat rin ang mga mamamayan na mag-donate upang mas marami at malayo pa ang maabot ng ating tulong,” PRC chairman Richard Gordon said in a statement.
(The PRC encourages the public donate so that our assistance could reach more people and farther areas.)
As of Monday, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that over P51 million worth of humanitarian assistance has been provided to affected communities by government and humanitarian partners.
After Paeng left the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Monday, around 865,000 residents were still displaced from their homes.
Some of these residents were taking shelter in more than 2,000 evacuation centers nationwide.
The storm damaged some 5,000 homes and destroyed around a thousand houses, the NDRRMC reported. It pegged the cost of damage to these houses at P12.41 million.
Agricultural damage was estimated at P1.3 billion, with 53,000 farmers and fisherfolk affected, along with 58,000 hectares of crops hit.
The NDRRMC added that damage to infrastructure has reached P760 million.
Meanwhile, power interruptions hit 294 areas, of which 140 already have their power restored.
As of Tuesday, 160 areas were placed under a state of calamity, which allows government to tap calamity funds, ban a price hike on basic goods, and offer zero-interest loans.
The state weather forecaster warned that a low pressure area could bring more rains in parts of Mindanao still reeling from Paeng.
Earlier, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau offered his sympathies to victims of Paeng, saying his government was prepared to help.
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