Skip Links
U.S. Department of State
Enhancing the U.S.-ASEAN Partnership  |  Daily Press Briefing | What's NewU.S. Department of State
U.S. Department of State
SEARCHU.S. Department of State
Subject IndexBookmark and Share
U.S. Department of State
HomeHot Topics, press releases, publications, info for journalists, and morepassports, visas, hotline, business support, trade, and morecountry names, regions, embassies, and morestudy abroad, Fulbright, students, teachers, history, and moreforeign service, civil servants, interns, exammission, contact us, the Secretary, org chart, biographies, and more
Video
 You are in: Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs > Bureau of Public Affairs > Bureau of Public Affairs: Electronic Information and Publications Office > Photo Gallery > Photos by Regions and Topics > East Asia and the Pacific > Philippines 

U.S. Balikatan Soldiers Rush to Leyte for Search and Rescue Operations

The U.S. has authorized the Philippine Red Cross to use approximately $50,000 of emergency relief funds already granted to the Red Cross from an earlier disaster. In addition, the Philippine National Red Cross plans to distribute on the morning of February 18 protective masks for rescue workers, plastic sheeting, and body bags donated by the U.S. Government in response to previous disasters.

Click on images for larger versions and captions.  (Photos courtesy of U.S. Embassy, Manila)

A U.S. soldier joins Philippine military colleagues, government rescue workers, and civilian volunteers in forming a search and rescue line to clear rocks and debris from the area affected by the February 17 mudslide in Southern Leyte. The U.S. Government has diverted U.S. Military personnel and supplies from the annual Balikatan joint military exercises to the Leyte area in order to assist with disaster relief operations for mudslide victims. The U.S. Government is also supplying emergency funds and supplies such as blankets, water, and body bags through the U.S. Agency for International Development. A U.S. Marine Gunnery Sergeant speaks with children from the village of Guinsaugon in Leyte. Members of the U.S. 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, based in Okinawa, Japan, came to Leyte on the USS Harpers Ferry and the USS Essex in order to bring humanitarian relief supplies to landslide victims. The U.S. Government is also supplying emergency funds and supplies such as blankets, water, and body bags through the U.S. Agency for International Development. Republic of Philippines army soldiers and U.S. Military personnel offload food, blankets, water and other vital supplies from a U.S. Marine CH-46E Sea Knight helicopter in Saint Bernard. This helicopter is embarked aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Essex, which has sailed to Leyte to provide humanitarian assistance for landslide victims. The U.S. Government is also supplying emergency funds and supplies such as blankets, water, and body bags through the U.S. Agency for International Development. U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Paul Jones (second from right) toured the site of the February 17 mudslide in St. Bernard, Leyte with Senator Dick Gordon, head of the Philippines Red Cross (center); Lt. Gen. Samuel Bagasin (far left) army chief from the 4th Infantry Division, Armed Forces Philippines; and U.S. Marine Brig. Gen. Mastin Robeson from the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, Okinawa, Japan. The U.S. Government has diverted U.S. Military personnel and supplies from the annual Balikatan joint military exercises to the Leyte area in order to assist with disaster relief operations for mudslide victims.


  Back to top

U.S. Department of State
USA.govU.S. Department of StateUpdates  |  Frequent Questions  |  Contact Us  |  Email this Page  |  Subject Index  |  Search
The Office of Electronic Information, Bureau of Public Affairs, manages this site as a portal for information from the U.S. State Department. External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.
About state.gov  |  Privacy Notice  |  FOIA  |  Copyright Information  |  Other U.S. Government Information

Published by the U.S. Department of State Website at http://www.state.gov maintained by the Bureau of Public Affairs.