Speeches
Speech
On behalf of the American people and the U.S. Embassy Manila’s United States Agency for International Development, allow me to extend our sincere appreciation for inviting us to participate in today’s celebration of the Persons with Disabilities Day. I am honored to be among leaders from the government, private sector, and the PWD community, who are championing the rights and welfare of persons with disabilities.
Speech
On behalf of U.S. Embassy’s United States Agency for International Development USAID/Philippines), it is my honor to be here with all of you this evening. The province of Bohol has a special place in the development work of USAID/Philippines. We have worked together for decades to accelerate Bohol’s economy and transform this historical region from a conflict area to become one of the Philippines’ prime ecotourism destinations.
Speech
It is an honor to be here today on behalf of the U.S. Embassy Manila’s United States Agency for International Development. I am pleased to have had the opportunity earlier to witness the training for teachers of out-of-school youth conducted through our partnership with the U.S. Peace Corps-Philippines.
Padayon Mindanao continues Peace Corps’ legacy of cross-cultural learning among PC Volunteers, teachers and youth. Youth, especially those from conflict-affected areas, are given the opportunity to develop leadership and other life skills in order to contribute to sustained peace and development in their communities.
Speech
On behalf of the U.S. Embassy-Manila’s United States International Agency for Development (USAID), I thank you for the privilege to join you today as we recognize the accomplishment of the first batch of C4C graduates.
USAID supports the Philippine Government’s work in enhancing the public sector’s communication expertise to improve the health of the nation, especially in the areas of maternal and child health, family planning, TB, and HIV/AIDS.
Speech
On behalf of the U.S. Government, I thank you for the privilege to join you today as we renew a noble promise. In 1990, the Philippines, along with 175 countries around the globe, pledged at the World Summit for Child Survival and Development to save women and children from dying of preventable causes. Since then, the Philippines has made significant progress to reduce child mortality. From 1998 to 2011, deaths among children under the age of 5 decreased from 48 for every 1,000 live births to 30.
Speech
I am delighted to be back at my alma mater to launch, on behalf of USAID, this important undertaking, the Women, Peace and Security Project that aims to increase women’s participation in peacebuilding, peace negotiation and peace advocacy in conflict-affected areas in Mindanao.
As we all know, women play a significant role in keeping the peace in our societies. Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton pointed out that , “a growing body of evidence shows that women offer unique contributions to making and keeping the peace-- and that those contributions lead to better outcomes not just for women but for entire societies.”
Speech
Ten months ago, I visited your town and was impressed by the diligence of the Warays. Today, I have seen your most profound trait -- your unbreakable spirit. The scale of destruction of Super Typhoon Yolanda that struck on November 8 and ravaged Eastern Visayas is beyond comprehension. Following disasters such as these, the provision of basic education services is of great importance. Education helps normalize the lives of children, and helps communities stabilize. Education allows children, teachers, and parents to again hope for the future and look forward to a better tomorrow. Education can also mitigate the effects of catastrophes in the future by inculcating disaster preparedness in children and parents alike.
Speech
It is my distinct honor to join you this evening to witness the City Government of Valenzuela pave the way in bringing about good governance and improved public service with the digitization of the city government’s financial transactions. This important initiative will not only make transacting with government easier but it will also significantly contribute to the Philippine Government’s campaign to fight corruption, foster transparency and increase financial inclusion.
Speech
I am happy to join you this morning on behalf of the U.S. Embassy Manila’s United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to formally launch our new partnership through the $60 million Credit Facility.
In the Philippines, about 99% of all firms are micro, small, and medium enterprises. Supporting the country’s SMEs is crucial to igniting and sustaining inclusive economic growth in the Philippines. SMEs contribute to the generation of wealth, business opportunities and employment in rural and urban areas. This vital economic sector also contributes to a dynamic supply of ideas, skills and innovation needed to propel the country’s development.
Testimony
It is truly heartbreaking to see the devastation and loss of life caused by Super Typhoon Haiyan, and I would like to express my deepest condolences to those who lost loved ones due to the storm. Super Typhoon Haiyan struck the central Philippines on the morning of November 8 local time. The storm was one of the most powerful typhoons ever to make landfall, bringing heavy rains and sustained winds of up to 195 miles per hour, and a resulting storm surge that caused near complete destruction in many coastal areas of East Samar and Leyte provinces.
The strong, experienced disaster preparedness and response capacity of the Government of the Philippines undoubtedly saved countless lives. For more than two decades, the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance and Mission in the Philippines have worked with the Philippine government to strengthen its disaster management system and response capabilities. Prior to the storm making landfall, the Philippine government evacuated 792,000 people to 109 evacuation centers in 22 provinces. In the first 24 to 48 hours, the government quickly triaged and evacuated many critically injured survivors to receive medical care, and subsequent government response efforts have been aggressive – mobilizing airlifts of safe drinking water, relief supplies, and food commodities to Tacloban and other hard-hit areas.
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