Embassy: US adds $800,000 for typhoon Juan victims

The US government is making available an additional $800,000 for victims of typhoon “Juan" (international code: Megi), Ambassador Harry Thomas Jr. said Sunday. This brings to $900,000 the aid the US has made available for the typhoon victims, Thomas said. “[The US government] is pleased to make additional resources available to assist in the early recovery of those affected by typhoon Juan," Thomas said in a statement posted on the US Embassy’s Facebook page. On Tuesday, Thomas announced the US was making available $100,000 in aid to victims of “Juan," which barreled through northern Luzon last week. The money for typhoon victims will be coursed through the Office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance of the US Agency for International Development, Thomas said. Apart from the financial contribution, US military personnel in the country gave the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) logistical support in delivering relief goods to typhoon-stricken communities. Since Wednesday, US military personnel supported the AFP with aerial assessment of northern Luzon and in delivering over 170,000 pounds of relief supplies and transporting over 180 personnel to help with relief efforts in northeastern Luzon. “As a longstanding friend and ally of the Philippines, our military is proud to work side by side with the AFP to address the needs of the communities affected by the typhoon," Thomas noted. Damage to agriculture As of Friday, the Agriculture Department reported that typhoon Juan damaged the infrastructure and agriculture sector in northern Luzon to the tune of P8.49 billion, Agriculture Department Assistant Secretary Dennis Araullo said. Some P1.29 billion worth of agriculture facilities were damaged, the bulk of which were irrigation facilities, farm-to-market roads, and fishery and livestock infrastructure. Losses in the rice sector were the biggest at P6.02 billion, followed by high-value commercial crops (P660.3 million), fisheries (140.08 million), and livestock (P10.59 million). Typhoon Juan damaged 317,111 hectares of rice fields resulting to the loss of 353,415 metric tons (MT) of palay in 18 provinces in northern Luzon, according to the Agriculture Department. A total of 26,931 MT of corn planted to 15,886 hectares were damaged. Also destroyed were 23,364 MT of vegetable and fruits in 6,910 hectares. Losses sustained by the livestock and fisheries sectors amounted to P10.59 million and P140.08 million, respectively. The typhoon affected 19 provinces in Regions I, II, and III and Cordillera Autonomous Region. Pangasinan and Isabela provinces suffered the biggest losses estimated at P2.36 billion and P1.25 billion, respectively. — JE/VS, GMANews.TV