U.S. Official Inaugurates New School and Livelihood Facility in Tacloban City

U.S. Official Inaugurates New School and Livelihood Facility in Tacloban City
(L-R) DepEd Region VIII Dir. Dr. Luisa Yu, USAID CFO Reginald Mitchell, Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez and School Principal Lydia Umacob lead the opening of 4 climate-resilient and fully-furnished classrooms at the Tacloban City Nat'l High School.

For Immediate Release

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Chief Financial Officer Reginald Mitchell visited Tacloban City on February 4 to inaugurate new structures as part of the U.S. government’s continuing support for communities impacted by Typhoon Yolanda.

Mr. Mitchell joined Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez, and Department of Education (DepEd) Region VIII Director Dr. Luisa Yu in the formal opening of four climate-resilient and fully-furnished classrooms at the Tacloban City National High School.

“This is part of the more than 250 classrooms that the U.S. government, through the U.S. Embassy Manila’s USAID, is building in Leyte Province to help restore normalcy in education in Typhoon Yolanda-affected areas,” said Mr. Mitchell. “The priority we give to building classrooms is recognition of the critically important role of education in poverty alleviation.”

As part of the U.S. government’s support to sustain the local economy, Mr. Mitchell also inaugurated a new grains warehouse and solar dryer facility. The structures will help 120 members of the Association of Tagpuro Farmers United for Progress, one of the leading rice and vegetable farmers' groups in Tacloban City, to fully recover their main source of livelihoods and income.

The warehouse and the solar dryer are two of the more than 30 agri-fishery support facilities being constructed by USAID to assist farmers and fisherfolk affected by Typhoon Yolanda. Other facilities that are being constructed across the province include trading centers, warehouses, solar dryers and irrigation facilities.

In addition to the school buildings and livelihood facilities, USAID is constructing 12 health centers to help restore access to quality health services. In partnership with U.S. companies, Procter & Gamble and Coca-Cola, USAID is also constructing 1,000 sari-sari stores to help small entrepreneurs get back on their feet.

To date, the U.S. government has provided approximately $143 million to help the Philippines respond to, and recover from, the devastating effects of Typhoon Yolanda.