In 2025, the Philippines faced extraordinary challenges as it endured a series of powerful typhoons and significant earthquakes. Typhoons Crising, Tino, and Uwan affected millions of Filipinos and destroyed homes and properties.   

The United States, through the U.S. Embassy in Manila’s Foreign Assistance section provided $3.5 million in disaster assistance and logistics support to the Philippine government-led response, including transporting over 225,000 family food packs (FFPs) from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).  This included 32 U.S. military airlift missions from the Department of War for the rapid delivery of FFPs in remote areas affected by these typhoons.

Coordination with the DSWD and the Office of Civil Defense at the national level was critical to ensure that U.S. assistance remains aligned with local needs, complements ongoing efforts, and reaches the most affected communities efficiently. By working closely with Philippine partners, the United States augmented the response operations and quick recovery for those impacted by disasters.

Mang Delfin, a resident of Barangay Sabangan in the Municipality of Caramoran, Catanduanes, shared how back-to-back Typhoons Tino and Uwan devastated his home and family assets. During his stay at the evacuation center, he received food and other support from DSWD and the municipal government. However, Mang Delfin’s greatest hope was to repair his home and restore a sense of normalcy for his family. With assistance from the United States, he was able to purchase essential materials, rebuild his roof, and set up a sleeping area—allowing him to sleep in a bed once again and begin the process of recovery. 

For over six decades, the United States and the Philippines have worked together on helping families and communities recover from disasters as friends, partners, and allies. 

Manila, August 8, 2025—The U.S. government is providing an additional Php13.8 million ($250,000) in funding to deliver emergency shelter assistance and hygiene kits to more than 3,000 families, or approximately 15,800 persons, remaining in evacuation centers in Rizal, Laguna, Bulacan, and Pampanga following severe flooding in July. 

This latest assistance brings the total amount of U.S. humanitarian support for disaster response efforts in the Philippines to Php27.6 million ($500,000). 

Through this new tranche of funding, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Philippines’ Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will distribute shelter-grade tarpaulins, shelter repair kits, and essential household supplies to families whose homes were damaged or destroyed.  Each shelter repair kit contains basic construction tools and materials to help families begin rebuilding their homes.

To promote health and sanitation and improve living conditions in evacuation centers, families will also receive hygiene kits containing soap, buckets, and cleaning supplies.  In addition to distributing relief items, IOM will also monitor the condition of hygiene and sanitation facilities to ensure the safety and wellbeing of affected families. 

“Although flooding has subsided in most areas, thousands of families remaining in evacuation centers continue to face significant challenges,” U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires ad interim Y. Robert Ewing said.  “We are grateful to be working alongside our partners, including IOM, the World Food Programme (WFP), the Philippines’ Office of Civil Defense, and the DSWD, to help affected families recover and rebuild.” 

The U.S. government earlier provided Php13.8 million ($250,000) in funding that supported WFP in delivering 47,700 DSWD family food packs that benefitted over 200,000 persons across Northern and Central Luzon. 

U.S. military air assets, alongside the Armed Forces of the Philippines, also supported Philippine-led operations to deliver 6,300 DSWD food packs for 18,000 persons in Batanes. 

Manila, July 31, 2025—Following a request from the Philippine government and in coordination with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command deployed Marine Corps and Air Force Ospreys and Air Force MC-130Js in support of Philippine government disaster response operations to deliver life-saving relief items to communities in Northern Luzon recently affected by consecutive storms and the southwest monsoon. 

In coordination with the Philippines’ Office of Civil Defense (OCD), Ospreys participated in AFP-led airlift operations on July 30 and 31 to transport 600 Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) family food packs (FFPs) and emergency relief items from Clark Air Base to Basco, Batanes. 

Operations to deliver 5,700 more DSWD-provided FFPs to affected areas will continue in the coming days.  U.S. aircraft and personnel remain ready to assist the AFP in delivering more life-saving aid where it is needed most. 

“The United States stands shoulder to shoulder with our Filipino allies, especially in responding to disasters,” U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson said.  “We are grateful to the combined relief and rescue teams who have been working tirelessly on the ground to deliver emergency assistance to affected residents.” 

The U.S. Embassy in Manila has been working closely with the Philippines’ National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, OCD, DSWD, and the World Food Programme (WFP) to deliver food and relief supplies to Central and Northern Luzon.  As of July 29, WFP, through approximately Php13.8 million ($250,000) in funding support from the U.S. Department of State, mobilized trucks that delivered more than 47,700 DSWD-provided FFPs in Ilocos Norte, La Union, and Pangasinan, providing emergency relief to more than 200,000 persons affected by severe flooding. 

Manila, February 12, 2024—The United States government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is providing nearly Php70 million ($1.25 million) in humanitarian aid to respond to the needs of communities affected by severe flooding and landslides in Mindanao.

This new funding will provide emergency food, shelter, water, sanitation, and essential hygiene items to support disaster-affected communities in Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, and Davao City in Mindanao. USAID will partner with Catholic Relief Services and Action Against Hunger to ensure this life-saving assistance reaches the most vulnerable groups, including single-parent households, persons with disabilities, pregnant and lactating women, the elderly, low-income families, and indigenous peoples.

In addition, and at the request of the Philippine government, the U.S. Department of Defense, through the III Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF), provided two C-130s to assist the Philippines Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the Philippines Office of Civil Defense, and USAID in delivering 15,000 DSWD food packs to affected families.

Last week, USAID partnered with the Philippines Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development and the International Organization for Migration to provide emergency shelter for more than 5,000 affected persons. USAID also supported the World Food Programme to transport DSWD food packs to 65,000 families.

The United States government issued a “Declaration of Humanitarian Need” on February 8 that will facilitate support for the Philippine government’s response efforts in Mindanao.

“We are proud to partner with the Philippine government to support the immediate needs of Mindanaoans in the areas hardest hit by the flooding and landslides,” said USAID Mission Director Ryan Washburn. “This support will help ensure that food and other life-saving supplies reach communities most in need.”

“Support to our Allies and partners, and their people in a time of need, is a non-negotiable,” said U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Roger Turner, the III MEF commanding general. “Working in direct coordination with USAID and the Government of the Philippines, we stand ready to support those who need urgent assistance.”

Between January 28 and February 2, extensive rainfall in Mindanao caused significant flooding and landslides, impacting nearly 1.2 million people. An estimated 795,000 people were displaced with more than 97,600 people sheltering in 380 evacuation centers across Mindanao.

USAID works year-round to help communities in the Philippines prepare for and be more resilient to natural disasters. The United States will continue to partner with the Philippine government to respond to natural disasters and support the people of the Philippines in their recovery efforts.

Manila, December 8, 2021—On December 3, the U.S. Peace Corps and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) marked the conclusion of the Training of Trainers for Regional Youth Development Sessions held over the past three weeks.

The training taught 60 Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) youth leaders and beneficiaries how to encourage their out-of-school peers, through life skills and leadership sessions, to go back to school.  This peer-training model will ultimately benefit more than 1,000 youth in Nueva Ecija.

These sessions are a core part of the 4Ps conditional cash transfer program and are typically conducted by DSWD staff.  The U.S. Peace Corps and DSWD are piloting the new peer-to-peer approach, with the goal of more effectively reaching out-of-school youth and getting them back to school.

“Youth leaders who are also 4Ps beneficiaries have firsthand experience in overcoming their fears and building their self-esteem, making them well-placed to support their fellow youth in coming back to school,” said DSWD Field Office 3 Director Marites Maristela during the closing ceremony.

Peace Corps Philippines Country Director Jenner Edelman commended the youth leaders for “playing a crucial role in developing [their] communities and inspiring out-of-school youth to believe in themselves and see education as a key pathway to achieving their dreams.”

The Regional Youth Development Training of Trainers is a pilot initiative of the U.S. Peace Corps and DSWD Field Office 3 to supplement existing 4Ps support to youth not attending school, and is funded jointly with the United States Agency for International Development.

While limited to select 4Ps youth leaders and beneficiaries due to pandemic-related precautions, this is the first in-person training the partners have undertaken to reach out-of-school youth since the start of the pandemic.

The U.S. Peace Corps is the U.S. government’s premier volunteer organization and has supported Filipino students since 1961.  More than 9,300 American volunteers have served as youth development facilitators or filled other roles requested by host communities across the Philippines.

In the absence of volunteers due to the pandemic, Peace Corps is devoting all other available resources to assisting DSWD and other partners in responding to and recovering from the impacts of the pandemic.

November 6, 2020 – The U.S. government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), will provide Php9.7 million ($200,000) to support the Philippine government’s efforts to assist families hardest hit by Super Typhoon Rolly.  More than 2 million people were affected by the typhoon, and over 1 million Filipinos are currently in government evacuation centers.

U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires John Law commended the Philippine government and local authorities for their hard work in evacuating people before the storm and rescuing those in danger.  “We will continue to support our Philippine partners and friends as they work to address the needs of those communities most affected by Super Typhoon Rolly.”

In support of the ongoing relief work, USAID will work with local partners to provide food, emergency shelter, and cash assistance for 22,500 people in Albay and Catanduanes provinces.

As part of USAID’s ongoing disaster preparedness assistance, the United Nations World Food Programme has transported 35 truckloads of food and other emergency relief for disaster-affected families on behalf of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).  USAID’s ongoing partnership with the International Organization for Migration is also supporting DSWD with emergency shelter supplies for 3,000 households, training for staff managing evacuation centers, and the provision of 500 family-size modular tents to prevent COVID-19 transmission in the centers.

The United States will continue to partner with the Government of the Philippines to respond to natural disasters and support the people of the Philippines in their recovery efforts.  Since 2010, USAID has provided over Php16.4 billion ($340 million) in disaster relief and recovery aid, and boosted the disaster risk reduction capacity of over 100 cities and municipalities in the Philippines.

About USAID

USAID is the lead U.S. government agency for international development and disaster assistance.  In the Philippines, USAID partners with the national government to build a more stable, prosperous, and well-governed nation.   For more information, visit https://www.usaid.gov/philippines or email infoph@usaid.gov.

Manila, July 15, 2019 — Seventy-five new U.S. Peace Corps Volunteers arrived in Manila on July 7, 2019.  They join the more than 9,000 Americans who have served as Peace Corps Volunteers in the Philippines since 1961, making the Philippines the second oldest Peace Corps program. Inspired by President John F. Kennedy, the goal of the U.S. Peace Corps is to promote peace and friendship between the two nations as Volunteers work side-by-side with Filipinos to help build better lives for their communities.

The new Volunteers bring diverse experience and technical skills as well as spirited enthusiasm to learn about the Philippines as they embark on their new adventure.  Immediately following their arrival, the Volunteers will undergo an intensive pre-service training that includes technical, language and cultural studies.  In partnership with the Department of Education, the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Local Government Units and local non-governmental organizations, these Volunteers will be assigned to work for twenty-seven months in communities throughout the Philippines in the fields of education, youth development, and environment.