By SAMMY JULIAN
Manila News Bureau Chief
MANILA — The United States believes every dollar of its money extended for the victims of super typhoon “Yolanda” (international name: Haiyan) is all accounted for, saying it is satisfied with the process that the humanitarian aid has gone through.
“We don’t believe that has been an issue with our assistance,” said US Ambassador to Manila Philip Goldberg at the recent Kapihan sa Embahada.
Gloria Steele, Philippines mission director of the United States Agency for International Development (Usaid), said they are constantly monitoring the assistance that the US government and its citizens have provided.
So far, the United States had committed $142.5 million both for immediate emergency assistance and current assistance for recovery.
Steele said they have assisted Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery Panfilo Lacson by providing assistance to his office to put together the 800-page rehabilitation plan recently turned over to President Benigno Aquino III.
In addition, Usaid is currently building 10 clinics, 165 classrooms and 1,000 sari-sari (variety) stories, the initial inventory of which were provided with the support of US business giants Coca Cola and Procter & Gamble, she disclosed.
“We have put a formal microfinance fund to help communities get back on their feet to make their small business,” she said./PN
