US Navy warship visits Manila for first port call since 2019
MANILA, Philippines — A US Navy warship earlier this week docked in Manila for a routine port visit in continuation of the relationship of the Philippines and the United States as treaty allies.
Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Charleston (LCS 18) arrived in the Philippines last Monday.
This would be the first time that a commissioned US Navy warship visited the country since 2019.
Vice Adm. Karl Thomas, commander of the US 7th Fleet, said they appreciate the flexibility to resupply their ships in the Philippines.
"Our US Navy ships’ presence at sea and in ports like Manila promote security and stability that drives the peace and prosperity for the benefit of regional countries," Thomas said, as quoted by a US Pacific Fleet report.
The warship is deployed under Destroyer Squadron 7 as a support to Commander, Task Force (CTF) 76/Expeditionary Strike Group 7.
As precautions against COVID-19, Charleston's visit was contactless. Crew members remained aboard the ship while they were provided with replenishment of supplies.
USS Charleston's port call comes weeks after the visit of US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
Following a meeting with Austin, President Rodrigo Duterte recalled his order to terminate the decades-old Visiting Forces Agreement, which allows US forces to operate in the country.
“The US security commitment to the Philippines is iron-clad, and that commitment… extends to the South China Sea,” Austin earlier said.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, meanwhile, said he does not know the reason behind Duterte's decision to fully restore the VFA.
“One thing is clear: The Department of Foreign Affairs and the Ambassador to the United States [Jose Romualdez have] been actually working for this to happen,” Lorenzana said.
The US government establishes a five-year grant worth P800 million to promote natural resource conservation, and ecosystem and community resilience, by supporting civil society organizations in advocating for, and participating in, good natural resource governance.
The grant will be launched through the Investing in Sustainability and Partnerships for Inclusive Growth and Regenerative Ecosystems (INSPIRE) project.
“Through the INSPIRE project, USAID is pleased to support the Philippines’ efforts to conserve the country’s rich biodiversity and mitigate the impacts of climate change while making sure that the environment continues to benefit many Filipinos whose incomes depend upon these natural resources," USAID Acting Mission Director Sean Callahan says.
The United States Embassy in the Philippines launches a livelihood program for those who are recovering from substance abuse order.
In partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the US Embassy's International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs is providing PhP5 million ($100,000) to support the "Ako ang Saklay" program.
“Livelihood programs, such as those facilitated by Ako ang Saklay, can result in quality-of-life changes for persons who use drugs, their families, and their communities,” INL representative Mark Everson says.
The US Peace Corps, in partnership with the DepEd, concludes a series of virtual trainings for educators on using newly developed distance training materials.
The training ran from October 12 to 29, which involved 1,000 teachers, principals and supervisors from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
“Studies show that high-quality instructional materials significantly increase academic outcomes by allowing students to engage more deeply and meaningfully with their learning. This has never been more important than now, with students still schooling online due to the ongoing pandemic,” DepEd Bureau of Learning Delivery Director Leila Areola says.
USAID launches a five-year project worth P750 million ($15 million) to build climate resilience in the Philippines.
The Climate Resilient Cities project will help cities in the country to mitigate, and endure the impacts of climate change by increasing their access to climate financing and tools to build resilience, the US Embassy says.
"Addressing the climate crisis, and particularly the vulnerability of cities, is crucial to helping build a more prosperous, resilient Philippines for current and future generations," USAID Philippines Acting Mission Director Sean Callahan says.
US military service members on Tuesday delivered ICU beds and COVID-19 cold storage units wort P758,750 to the Palawan provincial government.
The donation was made in response to the request of the Palawan provincial government amid a surge of COVID-19 cases in the province, the US Embassy says in a media release.
“This donation will help the people of Palawan a lot by upgrading our ability to fight against the pandemic. It comes at the perfect time due to the surge of new cases and will help us face this new challenge," Palawan Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Office director Jeremias Alili says.
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