US allocates $1M for Typhoon Pepito victims

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced an additional $1 million funding for Filipinos affected by Typhoon Pepito during his visit to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Malacañang on Monday.

Austin also paid a courtesy call on the president and emphasized that the US military is ready to provide life-saving assistance, adding to the nearly 100,000 pounds of supplies provided after previous typhoons.

The additional funding will support USAID and World Food Programme efforts in disaster response, with EDCA sites playing a crucial role by serving as staging areas for prepositioning relief goods before disasters.

President Marcos Jr. thanked Austin for the assistance, noting that the use of EDCA sites has significantly improved disaster response efficiency, especially when many roads are closed due to landslides and only helicopter access is available.

The visit also marked the signing of the General Security of Military Information Agreement between the US and Philippine defense departments, further strengthening their military ties.