Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Cuisia Jr. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—The Philippines is seeking duty-free access into the United States of export products from “Yolanda”-hit areas to help drive the local economy as devastated provinces began recovery and rehabilitation efforts.
Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Cuisia Jr. made the remarks at a recent conference at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington DC, citing the arrangement that the United States had forged with Haiti to bolster the latter’s economy following the devastating 2010 earthquake.
“Similar to what the United States did following the Haiti earthquake, the Philippines is looking at possible trade preference for products from Haiyan-affected areas,” Cuisia told a forum on the role of the US military, government and private sector in helping typhoon recovery in the Philippines.
In his audience were the US state department, military and aid officials, representatives from nongovernment organizations and corporate donors.
Cuisia said the Philippines is “looking at arrangements” to allow duty-free entry of selected goods from Yolanda-hit areas, particularly Central Visayas, “for a limited period of time.”
The ambassador also renewed his call for sustained support from the United States and the international community, noting how the Philippine government’s comprehensive recovery and rehabilitation plan, the Reconstruction Assistance on Yolanda plan, still needs some $8.2 billion (about P360.8 billion).
Ally, partner
“There is much work to be done, and in the spirit of the alliance and partnership we have shared, we continue to count on your invaluable assistance,” Cuisia said in a statement released by the Philippine Embassy in Washington yesterday.
Already, the United States is the second largest donor to Philippine typhoon relief, next only to the United Kingdom. Since the time of the emergency, the Americans have provided $88.4 million (nearly P3.9 billion) in aid to support typhoon relief and rehabilitation in the Philippines.
This amount includes the $26.4 million (P1.16 billion) in additional funds that US Secretary of State John Kerry announced during a visit to typhoon-hit Tacloban City last month.
Separately, the US business sector has also pledged some $51.8 million (P2.28 billion) to the Philippines through the US Chamber of Commerce, the Embassy said, quoting information from the business group’s Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda’s international name) Corporate Aid Tracker.
Very real challenges
“At this point, it is apparent that recovery and rehabilitation will not be easy, and there are very real and substantive challenges ahead,” Cuisia said.
He said some 171 municipalities spread across four regions in Central Philippines, areas given priority for assistance, continue to need help in food, shelter, water, sanitation and hygiene, debris removal and restoration of public services, including health, education and livelihood assistance.
Cuisia said assistance needed included technical expertise, particularly on climate resiliency and disaster risk reduction.
“In this light, we continue to call on our friends in the international community to support this effort,” Cuisia said.
The typhoon hit Eastern Visayas on Nov. 8, left more than 6,000 dead and nearly 1,800 missing, and displaced some four million people.
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