US Marine Corps chief meets with Philippine counterparts in first visit since 2017
MANILA, Philippines — The commandant of the United States Marine Corps recently met with Philippine military leaders to discuss the importance of the decades-long alliance between Manila and Washington, the US Embassy said on Monday.
Gen. David Berger, commandant of the US Marine Corps, visited Manila on September 10 to 11.
Berger met with Armed Forces of the Philippines vice chief Lt. Gen. Erickson Gloria, Philippine Navy flag-officer-in-command Rear Adm. Adeluis Bordado and Philippine Marine Corps commandant Maj. Gen. Ariel Casulitan.
Recently I visited with Philippine armed forces leaders to reaffirm U.S. commitment to the Philippine alliance and the Indo-Pacific. Our defense cooperation has been the cornerstone of 70 years of close partnership with the Philippines. pic.twitter.com/vpF9ZeyRYz
— David H. Berger (@CMC_MarineCorps) September 11, 2021
“This is a very important trip for me to visit leaders of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in person,” Berger said in a statement.
The US Marines chief also met with the US Embassy leadership, including American marines assigned to the embassy.
Berger's visit to the country is the first of a US Marine Corps commandant since August 2017, according to the US Embassy.
During his visit to the country, Berger said the Philippines-US alliance is important in "maintaining peace and stability in the region, while improving interoperability to respond to crisis and contingencies."
In his meeting with Philippine counterpart Gen. Caculitan, Berger also talked about opportunities for future engagements.
This included future bilateral exercises, including Kamandag and Balikatan.
“Our defense cooperation has been the cornerstone of 70 years of close and strengthening partnership," Berger said. — Patricia Lourdes Viray
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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