The Philippines is one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world. Its geography and location make the island nation particularly vulnerable to natural hazards. The most frequent disasters that occur are caused by typhoons, which sweep the country annually; approximately 19 typhoon systems affect the Philippines each year. In addition, the Philippines has experienced devastating earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, and conflict in Mindanao has caused people to be displaced from their homes and disrupted their livelihoods.

The U.S. Government, principally through USAID and the U.S. military, has provided humanitarian assistance to the Philippines in response to natural disasters on many occasions. USAID has also supported a limited number of disaster preparedness and mitigation activities in the Philippines, directly or through regional programs.

The USAID Administrator is designated as the U.S. President's Special Coordinator for International Disaster Assistance, and USAID's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) is the USAID office principally responsible for providing non-food humanitarian assistance in response to international crises and disasters. Its mandate is to save lives and alleviate human suffering, and to reduce the economic and social impact of natural and human-made disasters by providing limited support for disaster prevention, preparedness and mitigation.

USAID/OFDA provides relief assistance only in response to a declaration of a foreign disaster made by the U.S. Ambassador or his/her designee. The criteria for declaring a disaster are:

1. the disaster must exceed the local capacity to respond;
2. the local government must ask for, or be willing to accept, assistance; and
3. the response must be in the interest of the U.S. Government.

Once an event or situation is determined to require U.S. assistance and a disaster is declared, USAID/OFDA can immediately provide up to $50,000 through the USAID Mission to give a contribution to a relief organization in the affected country. If warranted by the severity of the disaster, additional funding may be provided. USAID/OFDA can also send relief commodities, such as plastic sheeting, tents, blankets, and water purification units, from its stockpiles. USAID/OFDA may also deploy short- or long-term personnel to countries where disasters are occurring to directly coordinate relief assistance with the local authorities and other parts of the U.S. Government who also may be providing disaster relief, usually the U.S. military.

In the event of a declared disaster in the Philippines, therefore, USAID/Philippines works closely with the U.S. Embassy, USAID/OFDA personnel, and when needed, the U.S. military to coordinate USG relief assistance. USAID/Philippines also helps to manage a limited number of ongoing USAID/OFDA-funded disaster mitigation activities. For a full description of USAID's humanitarian assistance to the Philippines, please see the Summary of USAID/OFDA Assistance to the Philippines, FY 2000-FY 2005.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Aaron Stern , Mission Disaster Relief Officer
Telephone Number: 552-9800
Fax Number: 552-9999
E-mail: infoph@usaid.gov

Rolf Anderson, Alternate Mission Disaster Relief Officer
Telephone Number: 552-9800
Fax Number: 552-9999
E-mail: infoph@usaid.gov

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