DOD ANNOUNCES BEGINNING OF MILITARY EXERCISES IN UKRAINE AND PHILIPPINES

FROM:  U.S.  DEFENSE DEPARTMENT

Right:  Philippine Army Special Forces freefall parachutists jump from a KC-130J "Sumos" aircraft over Crow Valley, Philippines, May 15, 2014, during high-altitude low-opening jump training at Balikatan 2014. This year is the 31st iteration of Balikatan, an annual Philippines-U.S. military bilateral training exercise. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Allison DeVries. 

Military Exercises Begin in Ukraine, Philippines
By Cheryl Pellerin
DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, April 20, 2015 – Military training exercises begin today in Ukraine for Fearless Guardian, and in the Philippines for the 31st iteration of Exercise Balikatan, a Pentagon spokesman said today.

During a briefing with Pentagon reporters, Army Col. Steve Warren said that about 300 Sky Soldiers from the 173rd Airborne Brigade, based in Vicenza, Italy, will train members of the Ukraine National Guard at the International Peacekeeping and Security Center in Yavoriv near the Polish border.

The United States has trained at the same center for years with other allies and partners, he added.

“This latest training, which is as valuable in peacetime as it is in times of conflict, is to establish a professional force that protects and defends Ukraine's people [and] the country's sovereignty,” Warren said.

Sky Soldiers

Three hundred Sky Soldiers will train about 900 Ukrainian national guardsmen during three training rotations, each about two months long, he said.

The small-unit trainers will focus on defensive and civil military operations.
Specific blocks of instruction include medical training, casualty evacuation, counter-unmanned-aerial-vehicle tactics, counter-insurgency training, counter-improvised-explosive-device training, and more, Warren said.

Human rights and use-of-force training also will be conducted, along with common soldier and collective tasks such as individual conduct and law of war, first aid, survival, land navigation, communication, unit operations, and counter-chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear training.

Joint Commission Plus Canada

“The Defense Department will continue to work closely with Ukraine to provide assistance, training and advising support,” Warren said, “including through our U.S.-Ukraine Joint Commission on Defense Cooperation, to Ukraine, over the long term.”

The Joint Commission formed in July 2014, and Canada was an observer at the inaugural meeting in October 2014. Later, Canadian leaders requested an invitation for membership on the Joint Commission.

On Feb. 2, Canada’s Defense Minister Rob Nicholson announced that Canada would join the commission “to better coordinate Canada’s ongoing provision of assistance to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.”

Nonlethal Aid to Ukraine

Warren said the United States also jointly hosts two Partnership for Peace exercises each year in Ukraine, a ground forces peacekeeping exercise called Rapid Trident and a naval exercise called Sea Breeze.

The training in small-unit tactics includes instruction on how to shoot, how to move, how to communicate and other individual soldier skills, Warren added, during which the National Guardsmen use Ukrainian weapons and their own munitions.

“Thus far, we have provided the Ukrainians with nonlethal aid only,” he said, adding that the department delivered 30 Humvees to Kiev in March and will deliver another 300 in the coming months.

The DoD is monitoring events in Ukraine, Warren said, “particularly in Eastern Ukraine where we know Russian forces are contributing to the destabilization and unrest.”

Exercise Balikatan

Also today in the Philippines, U.S. and Philippine forces began the 31st iteration of Exercise Balikatan, Warren said.

The annual bilateral training exercise and humanitarian assistance engagement seeks to improve the readiness of participating U.S. and Philippine forces.
“It is a signature element of our alliance,” Warren said.

Balikatan takes place in the Philippines starting today to April 30, and about 6,000 U.S. personnel will participate this year, he said, noting that 4,100 of the forces will be U.S. Marines.

Humanitarian Assistance

The exercise trains Philippine and U.S. military forces to provide relief and assistance in the event of natural disasters and other crises that endanger public health and safety.

“This training proved invaluable during the relief mission [of November 2013] in the wake of super typhoon Haiyan,” Warren said. The typhoon devastated more than 35 provinces in the Philippines and displaced nearly half a million residents.
Military service members from both countries also will conduct combined command-post exercises and field training and live-fire exercises, the colonel said.

NASA SATELLITE IMAGE OF TROPICAL STORM MEKKHALA

FROM:  NASA 

Right:  On Jan. 16 at 04:55 UTC NASA's Aqua satellite captured this picture of Tropical Storm Mekkhala approaching the Philippines.  Image Credit: NASA Goddard MODIS Rapid Response Team

The Global Precipitation Measurement or GPM core satellite analyzed Tropical Storm Mekkhala and identified areas of heavy rainfall as the storm drew closer to the Philippines.

The GPM (core satellite) had an excellent view of Tropical Storm Mekkhala on January 14, 2015 at 2211 UTC (5:11 p.m. EST) as it flew almost directly above the center of the tropical cyclone. The GPM satellite is managed by both NASA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency known as JAXA.

GPM's Microwave Imager (GMI) instrument found that the heaviest precipitation was then occurring on the western side of the circulation center. Powerful convective thunderstorms in that area were dropping rain at a rate of over 71.3 mm (2.8 inches) per hour. This rainfall analysis also revealed that this area was the most continuous area of rainfall while most of the remainder of the storm containing only scattered bands of precipitation.

GPM's Radar (Ku Band) data were used to make a 3-D view of the storm that showed thunderstorm cloud-top heights in that area were reaching heights above 13 km (8 miles).

On January 16 at 1500 UTC (10 a.m. EST), Mekkhala's maximum sustained winds were near 50 knots (57.4 mph/92.6 kph). The center of the storm was located near 11.3 north latitude and 128.7 east longitude, about 470 nautical miles (540.9 miles/8970.4 kph) east-southeast of Manila, Philippines. Mekkhala was moving to the west at 14 knots (16.1 mph/25.9 kph).

Public Storm Warning Signals have been raised in the Luzon and Visayas regions. In Luzon, the warning is in effect for Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Albay, Burias Island ,Sorsogon and Masbate including Ticao Island. In the Mindanao region, warnings are in effect for Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Samar, Biliran and Leyte.

SECRETARY KERRY'S REMARKS WITH PHILIPPINE FOREIGN SECRETARY ROSARIO

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT 

Remarks With Philippine Foreign Secretary del Rosario Before Their Meeting

Remarks

John Kerry

Secretary of State

Shangri-La Hotel

Jakarta, Indonesia

October 20, 2014

QUESTION: Could I just ask you a very brief question about the thinking that went into the air drops of the weapons and ammunition into Kobane?

SECRETARY KERRY: Absolutely.

QUESTION: And, for both of you, I'm wondering if you could talk -- say anything about how concerned, if at all you are, about the case of this Marine, American Marine, who's been accused of murder in the Philippines.

SECRETARY KERRY: Well, let me first take the occasion to welcome my friend, Albert del Rosario, the Foreign Minister from the Philippines. And we have been meeting now in many different occasions over the course of the last year and a half. And the Philippines is a very strong, long-term ally of ours. We are very grateful for the support on major crises of the day, particularly on ISIL and on the challenge of Ebola, which we will talk about a little bit now.

With respect to the resupply of Turkey, let me just say very, very respectfully to our allies, the Turks, that we understand fully the fundamentals of their opposition and ours to any kind of terrorist group, and particularly, obviously, the challenges they face with respect to the PKK. But we have undertaken a coalition effort to degrade and destroy ISIL. And ISIL is presenting itself in major numbers in this place called Kobane, and they have chosen to make this a grounded battle, attacking a small group of people there who, while they are a offshoot group of the folks that the -- our friends, the Turks, oppose, they are valiantly fighting ISIL.

And we cannot take our eye off the prize here. It would be irresponsible of us, as well as morally very difficult, to turn your back on a community fighting ISIL, as hard as it is, at this particular moment. And we talked with Turkish authorities -- I did, the President did -- to make it very, very clear this is not a shift of policy by the United States. It is a crisis moment, an emergency where we clearly do not want to see Kobane become a horrible example of the unwillingness of people to be able to help those who are fighting ISIL.

So, there is this momentary effort. But what we did say very clearly is, "Help us to get the Peshmerga or other groups in there who will continue this, and we don't need to do that." And I think that's very much the objective, and I think that's very much the way we are going.

So, our hope is that, indeed, Kurds who have proven themselves to be very strong and valiant fighters will take this fight on, and it won't be necessary for us to have this kind of delicate reach, if you will, in terms of people's different interests.

With respect to the Marine, whatever charges there are, whatever infractions have been affected by any American anywhere, we believe in the rule of law, and we believe in our agreement. It is very important for our agreements to be upheld. It is very important for the rule of law to be upheld, for his rights to be protected, but for the process to unfold appropriately. And we will, indeed, uphold our agreements with our friends in the Philippines; they deserve nothing less. The people of the Philippines who are gracious enough to permit an arrangement whereby we meet mutual interests with this kind of a force's presence need to know that we're not seeking a special privilege, that everybody's rights will be appropriately protected. And that's exactly what we will do here. Due process will play out, and we will work with the Philippines in order to make certain that rule of law and the agreement are upheld.

FOREIGN SECRETARY DEL ROSARIO: Well, you want me to talk about --

QUESTION: Well, I wonder if you're concerned that this is causing stress in an otherwise good relationship.

FOREIGN SECRETARY DEL ROSARIO: Well, I think we are concerned, and it's unfortunate that we had this tragic event. But, as my friend John had mentioned, we do have all the mechanisms in place so that justice can properly be served.

QUESTION: Thank you.

QUESTION: Thank you all.

SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you all very much. Appreciate it, thank you.

REMARKS AT UNICEF EXECUTIVE BOARD SECOND REGULAR SESSION

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT 

U.S. Mission to the United Nations: Remarks at the UNICEF Executive Board Second Regular Session

09/09/2014 05:54 PM EDT

AS DELIVERED 

Thank you, Mr. President, and thank you Executive Director Lake for your remarks. Your statements always allow us to reflect on the impressive range of UNICEF’s truly essential work on behalf of the world’s children every day, often in the most arduous environments. We thank you and UNICEF staff worldwide for your dedication.

Over the last year, we have all seen the devastating impact of a rising scale of mounting and overarching crises – natural disasters, conflicts, and health emergencies, which take a particularly cruel toll on children. As many of these crises have become chronic, children in West Africa, the Central African Republic, the Philippines, Syria, South Sudan, Ukraine, the Middle East, Iraq and elsewhere have suffered unacceptable levels of violence, disruption, and vulnerability to which no child should be subject. UNICEF is vital for children in these kinds of conditions, providing water, medicines, nutrition, education, protection, and critical health services.

Let me particularly highlight the role UNICEF is playing in responding to the recent outbreak of Ebola in West Africa, which could affect almost 20,000 individuals and cause devastating secondary damage to public health infrastructure and economic development in the affected countries for years to come. UNICEF has the trust of local officials and communities and is in a rare position to make a significant difference in reducing suffering, as well as supporting efforts to mitigate secondary effects, and we believe it is critical for UNICEF to have continued flexibility to respond to such complex and evolving emergencies.

We are therefore grateful for UNICEF’s efforts to strengthen capacity for rapid and scaled humanitarian response, such:

Your nominating high caliber and an increasing number of candidates for the Humanitarian Coordinator Pool with tangible incentives for staff to pursue these positions;

Your taking on board the recommendations of evaluations to address gaps and ensure that actions taken are widely understood throughout the organisation;

And your taking the initiative to increase country office preparedness for cluster leadership in high-risk-contexts and improving capacity for cluster leadership.

We welcome any further moves that will ensure more consistent recruitment and training of right-skilled staff for large-scale emergencies, sufficient regular budget allocation to support changing scales of emergency response, better clarity on cluster roles and responsibilities, and increased reliance on joint work with other agencies.

Protection is obviously fundamental, and we welcome UNICEF’s embrace of the Rights Up Front agenda to improve protection of children in emergencies; your work to develop data-driven advocacy around protection; and your actions to improve prevention and response to sexual and gender-based violence.

We also look forward to even stronger emphasis on disabilities in all UNICEF activities,with disaggegated assessments to help ensure that children with disabilities have equal access to humanitarian and other forms of assistance.

We also appreciate Director Lake’s candor about the strain on the organization from multiple emergencies, and his call not to lose focus in the face of calamity on the long-term investments we need to make in children’s health and well-being and the developmental work for which UNICEF has long been known.

You also rightly insist that we look with clear eyes at the underlying drivers of risk, that we redouble every effort to remedy them, with a determination not to fail. You have also outlined a compelling path that would help integrate UNICEF’s emergency and development work in a way that builds the resilience of families and communities at all levels. We agree that the divide between humanitarian and development work is artificial, and we should seek every opportunity to bridge it.

UNICEF’s developmental work is widely and deservedly praised: getting children the nutrients they need to survive and thrive; getting the most vulnerable children to school and ready to learn; promoting adequate water and sanitation, food, and health services; working with other agencies to help prevent teenage pregnancy and help young women get access to trained birth attendants; and partnering with countries to advance the Millennium Development goals.

We need you to continue this work and we appreciate UNICEF’s leadership as a strong advocate for children’s priorities in our continuing deliberations over the post-2015 development agenda.

Turning to management issues, we appreciate UNICEF’s continuing dedication to transparency and accountability, including your pioneering tools like the Monitoring Results for Equity System. You have been a leader in the UN system in this regard.

It’s worthy of note that MoRES has now been expanded from 30 countries in 2012 to 80 countries in 2013, enabling more strategic analysis of data and improved results, including through integration of MoRES into countries’ own planning and monitoring systems, which builds capacity, builds comparability, and improves data collection that can improve results.

With regard to resources, we are glad to note UNICEF’s strong financial situation, with total revenue reaching an all-time high of $4.9 billion, nearly $1 billion more than 2012. These figures are a testament to your hard work on partnerships but mainly to the integrity, enduring value, and urgent need for UNICEF’s work. We also note with appreciation that you have dedicated resources where they are needed, including the 27% of revenue this year devoted to children in emergencies.

Turning briefly to the issue of critical mass: in our view, critical mass should simply reflect all the resources necessary for agencies to deliver the results we have agreed in Strategic Plans and integrated budgets. Every dollar is critical for UNICEF’s life-saving work. In the Board’s deliberations, we think the recently agreed decision on critical mass at the UNDP/UNFPA/UNOPS Board will provide a useful basis for moving forward.

Let me then just close in thanking you and all UNICEF staff once again for your leadership, dedication, and determination to champion the world’s most vulnerable children. Thank you.

DEFENSE COOPERATION EXPANDED THROUGH NEW PACT BETWEEN U.S.-PHILIPPINES

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT 
U.S.-Philippine Pact Expands Defense Cooperation
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, April 28, 2014 – U.S. and Philippine leaders praised the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement the two nations signed yesterday, saying it updates and builds on the Mutual Defense Treaty of 1951.
The agreement “facilitates the enhanced rotational presence of U.S. forces, expands opportunities for training and supports the long-term modernization of the Philippine military,” Army Col. Steve Warren, a Pentagon spokesman, told reporters today.

The United States is “particularly focused” on strengthening Philippine maritime security, enhancing maritime domain awareness and improving humanitarian assistance and disaster relief capabilities, the colonel said.

The agreement was announced during President Barack Obama's visit to the Phillippines.  President Benigno Aquino III touted the benefits of the pact during a news conference in Manila yesterday.

“The Philippines is a vital partner on issues such as maritime security and freedom of navigation,” Obama said. “The goal for this agreement is to build Philippine capacity, to engage in training, to engage in coordination -- not simply to deal with issues of maritime security, but also to enhance our capabilities so that if there’s a natural disaster that takes place, we’re able to potentially respond more quickly, [and] if there are additional threats that may arise, that we are able to work in a cooperative fashion.”

The agreement will allow the United States to pre-position relief supplies in the Philippines, Warren said, but “does not provide for permanent U.S. bases, and we have no intent to open permanent bases in the Philippines.”

Aquino called the U.S.-Philippine security agreement a continuation of a strategic partnership. “Our deepening relations are attuned to the realities and needs that have emerged in the 21st century, which affect not only our two countries, but also the entire community of nations,” he said.

The Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement “takes security cooperation to a higher level of engagement, reaffirms our countries’ commitment to mutual defense and security and promotes regional peace and stability,” Aquino said.

Details of the agreement remain to be worked out. Officials could not say how the rotational U.S. presence in the Philippine archipelago will work, nor could they say where these rotations will take place.

The agreement does provide for the possibility of the United States building some infrastructure to support the rotations, officials said.

U.S. CONGRATULATES PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT, ISLAMIC LIBERATION FRONT ON PEACE AGREEMENT

FROM:  STATE DEPARTMENT 
Finalization of the Philippines - Moro Islamic Liberation Front Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro
Press Statement
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
January 25, 2014

The United States Government congratulates the Government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front for concluding negotiations toward an historic, comprehensive peace agreement.

This agreement offers the promise of peace, security, and economic prosperity now and for future generations in Mindanao.

Both sides are moving closer to the vision of a just and peaceful solution as outlined in the October 2012 Framework Agreement on Bangsamoro.

The United States also commends the Government of Malaysia, facilitator of the talks, as well as the International Contact Group, for its constructive role in helping resolve a decades-long conflict.

REMARKS BY SECRETARY OF STATE KERRY IN TACLOBAN, PHILIPPIINES

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Remarks at USAID Tacloban
Remarks
John Kerry
Secretary of State
USAID Tacloban
Tacloban, Philippines
December 18, 2013

AMBASSADOR GOLDBERG: Good morning, everyone. I’m Philip Goldberg, the U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines. I’d like to first thank our distinguished colleagues from the Government of the Philippines who are here, Secretary of Defense Gazmin, Congressman Romualdez, Mayor Romualdez of Tacloban, Ambassador Cuisia, who is here from Washington, and Under Secretary Del Rosario.

So without going any further, let me introduce – we’re very proud and pleased that our Secretary of State is here this morning, and I’ll turn it over to him.

SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you very much, Mr. Ambassador. Before I begin to talk about Tacloban and what we’ve been seeing, I do want to say something about our concerns regarding the violence in South Sudan over the last 48 hours.

The United States believes very strongly that all parties should refrain from any actions that could further escalate the tensions. The people of South Sudan – and I know this well because I was very involved in the efforts to move to a referendum and to see the South become a nation. I saw it firsthand how devoted and dedicated the people of South Sudan were and are, and how they have endured many years of conflict and sacrifice, far too much for their country to now go backwards and descend back into violence. Political differences need to be resolved by peaceful and democratic means, and those have been hard fought for. The government should respect the rule of law, and the people of South Sudan should be able to realize their full potential in peace.

While I’ve been in Asia, I have stayed in very close touch with our team that is working on this issue and closely monitoring the situation in Juba. And the State Department is continuing to stay in close touch and monitor the situation on the ground. The safety and the security of our diplomats is paramount, and we are taking steps at this time in order to guarantee that security.

It’s impossible to have landed here in Tacloban on an airport that was once created by United States Armed Forces at the time of the liberation of the Philippines and not feel the dramatic impact of what is taking place here. It is really quite stunning. It looks like a war zone in every respect. And in many ways, for a lot of people, it is. You’d have to see this to really believe it and feel it and to understand it. You also have to see and feel the remarkable efforts of people coming together in order to try to respond to this. It is the best demonstration of humanity and of common love and sense of responsibility that people feel for each other.

The wreckage that has been left behind by Typhoon Haiyan, or as it’s known here, Typhoon Yolanda, is absolutely staggering. No words can do justice to the level of destruction that you see: the entire community leveled, water that goes up to the second story of an airport tower over there, all of this covered by water; the destruction of the trees all the way up the mountains; the leveling of homes and the taking of life. This is a devastation that is unlike anything I’ve seen at this kind of scale. It’s many tornadoes, that I have seen in America, wrapped into one.

On behalf of President Obama and American people, it’s my privilege to come here today to offer our condolences to the families of the more than 6,000 who perished in the storm, and to wish a very full and speedy recovery to the some-27,000 who were wounded. And we are keeping in our thoughts and prayers the nearly 1,800 people who still remain missing. The United States is committed to doing whatever we can as we go forward to try to help our friends in the Philippines to recover.

Last month’s typhoon broke the world’s heart, but what is certain is it didn’t break the spirit of the people here. The resilience, the courage, the determination to rebuild and to remake what was inspires all of us. And the truth is that what’s been happening here since the moment this storm passed away is inspiring to everybody.

For example, in the immediate wake of the typhoon, one of the most pressing tasks was to coordinate the opening of the city airport, just across the way here. And the logistical challenge of opening that airport was simply overwhelming.

But Philippine Navy SEAL Captain Roy Trinidad and Major Leo Liebreich of the U.S. Army and Major George Apalisok of the U.S. Air Force got right to work. And those three heroes worked and slept side-by-side for 10 days straight to oversee the enormous challenge of off-loading and distributing relief supplies. They spent their nights beneath a makeshift shelter made of nothing more than a tarp, some buckets, and boards. Their efforts saved hundreds of lives, and it inspired thousands of more people to do the same. And it demonstrated the enduring partnership between two allies – not only in good times, but in trying times as well.

USAID, the U.S. military, and the Departments of Defense and State, I can tell you unabashedly and with great pride, have done incredible work here together. And all of that has been done in very close partnership with the Philippine Government. Mr. Defense Minister and Mr. Ambassador to the United States, Mr. Congressman, Mr. Mayor, Mr. Under Secretary, we thank you for your efforts and the close partnership that you’ve demonstrated, and the leadership that you have shown in working to move us forward here.

Private corporations, NGOs, faith-based groups, the diaspora communities have shown a remarkable willingness of leadership and generosity to come together and deal with this catastrophe. And they all deserve an enormous amount of credit for working under the most difficult kinds of circumstances.

I’m proud to announce here in Tacloban today that the United States, through USAID, is providing an additional $24.6 million in humanitarian aid now. And this is on top – (applause). This is on top of the 62 million that we have already provided. And we are mindful that there is a donor conference taking place even as we are here today, and we will watch and work closely with the government to make further determinations as plans are laid out and as the future is defined by the Government of the Philippines.

The new aid is calculated to help ensure that the residents and the relief workers have immediate access to clean water, to sanitation and to hygiene services, and also to make sure that they get the food and the temporary shelter that are essential to being able to continue this work.

USAID, I’m also pleased to say, has also just signed an MOU with Procter & Gamble and Coca-Cola, and they’ve created a public-private partnership that will help more than 2,000 small convenience stores to repair, restock, and rehabilitate their shops.

And the Citi Foundation just announced that it has raised $1 million for the recovery effort, and that it is contributing an addition half-million dollars to help the Philippines to rebuild.

These are just some of the examples of the good citizens of both of our countries who are working together and around the world in helping to step up to this challenge.

Let me single out a couple more people if I can, please. Illac Diaz, who I just was introduced to over here, standing beside his light fixture over there, is not only a brilliant innovator and an entrepreneur, but he is a generous human being. Illac took recycled materials and he made handheld, environmentally friendly, very simple solar lights – turning soda bottles into something that could be useful and a light for people to be able to have in their homes, into lanterns that served not only as the only source of light for Tacloban immediately after the typhoon, but as an important aid for people to be able to continue with their lives. I’m happy to note also – and I say this with some pride – that a few years ago, the U.S. Embassy in Manila gave Mr. Diaz a grant for this project, and we are very proud of the way he has put that funding to good use. In addition – and by the way, he distributes these lights free of charge, an example of the kind of effort that will make all the difference here. Thanks to his hard work and his kindness, a lot more lights will be on their way to reaching people here in this vicinity.

Let me also recognize Dave Bell. He’s an Embassy Warden and an American Legion Vice Commander. I just met him and chatted with him a little bit. He told me about his service out here, 1974 and ’75 was Vietnam, evacuation was taking place. And he has helped to locate veterans after the storm and checked in on survivors. Ken Holubeck, another Embassy Warden, who also served in 1966 and 1970 in Vietnam, is – has brought 56 people to live and find shelter in his damaged home. These are people who have helped to bring people together to clear debris in their neighborhood, and brought food to local workers and medical care to the injured. In addition, there’s another individual here who’s made an enormous difference. Dr. Ronald Arce, who – after losing his own home and two cousins in the storm – has served in the difficult task of being the lead mortician in recovering and identifying more than 2,000 victims. These folks are all of them local heroes, and there are many, many more who aren’t singled out here today. And they have meant – all of them together – the world to so many in such a dark time. They are an incredibly important part of the story of this storm.

And just as there are many examples of individuals stepping up, there is obviously an enormous challenge ahead. I could see that just driving by – the amount of wires and telephone poles and the level of destruction of homes along the way. Local fishermen have been among the hardest hit here. This was an enormous fishing community. Tens of thousands of small boats and fishing gear were destroyed or damaged in the typhoon, and the infrastructure that fishers, fisher people, rely on has been destroyed – the ports, the storage facilities, the markets – all flattened. So rebuilding the fishing industry here in a sustainable way, including by making sure that we’re not worsening the long-term challenge by overfishing, is a top priority and one that we need to all cooperate on.

We also know that while no single storm can be attributed to climate change, we do know to a certainty that rising temperatures will lead to longer and more unpredictable monsoon seasons and will lead to more extreme weather events. So looking around here, you see an unmistakable example of what an extreme weather event looks like, and a reminder of our responsibility to act to protect the future.

Looking around here you can also see how big a challenge remains. There’s no doubt in my mind, given the spirit that has already taken hold here, that we will get this job done. And in the past few weeks, the Philippines and the United States, joining together, have answered one of the worst challenges that Mother Nature provides, and in doing so they have shown the best of humanity.

So in the coming days and weeks and months – however long it takes – the United States will remain committed. We will work closely with our friends in the Philippines to rebuild this region even better and stronger and safer, and I’ve heard some people even talking about building a green community in its fullness. So that is what we will do, and we intend to be here by the side of our friends. Thank you all for your efforts, thank you for letting me come here today to see how we can work together to do better. Thank you. (Applause.)

SECRETARY OF STATE KERRY'S REMARKS WITH PHILIPPINE FOREIGN SECRETARY ROSARIO

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT 

Remarks With Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario

Remarks

John Kerry
Secretary of State

Department of Foreign Affairs

Manila, Philippines

December 17, 2013

---

MODERATOR: Friends from the media, let us welcome the arrival of the Honorable Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert S. del Rosario and His Excellency, John F. Kerry, Secretary of State of the United States of America.

Ladies and gentlemen, the Honorable Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert S. del Rosario and His Excellency, John F. Kerry, Secretary of State of the United States of America, will now give their respective statements on the results of the bilateral meeting between the two countries.
Secretary del Rosario.

SECRETARY DEL ROSARIO: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. It was my pleasure and privilege to have welcomed the Secretary of State John Kerry and his delegation to the Philippines. John, I’d like to take this opportunity to once again reiterate our deep appreciation for the tremendous assistance and support that we received in the aftermath of Yolanda in terms of expressions of sympathy, and of course the support which was huge, and included the search-and-rescue teams, relief operations, as well logistics, including 50 – over 50 aircraft and sea vessels. And this also reflected itself in terms of 1,000 U.S. soldiers and Marines on the ground who offered direct assistance and without a doubt helped to save many lives.
We are deeply moved by this, John, and I must say to you that we are very grateful, and I also received from the good Secretary the support for the Philippines in terms of the dauntless task that’s ahead for recovery and reconstruction for the Philippines.

Based on our shared history, our shared values, our shared aspirations, John, the Secretary and I continue to work incessantly on promoting the various dimensions of our bilateral relations that extend from political to defense and security, to economic cooperation, to regional and global concerns. We discussed on how we would elevate our alliance to another level, and this came in the form of the framework on increased rotational presence which we are currently negotiating. We discussed the ways on which we will be able to address transnational threats. We discussed how we would address counterterrorism, the securing of our maritime borders. And this is receiving a significant boost from the Global Security Fund that has been made available to us, which essentially assists our coast guard and as well our PNP, Philippine National Police.

We discussed to a large extent economic cooperation, how this will be expanded, and what areas we’re moving towards. We discussed the TPP. We discussed, for example, the Partners For Growth, Millennium Challenge, how that’s progressing. And we looked at this in terms of how we can be helpful to good governance, to inclusive growth, and to (inaudible).
We discussed as well the WPS, our favorite topic, and the ADIZ, and of course the elements on freedom of navigation and of course adherence to the rule of law. We discussed other topics and – which are of mutual interest. And finally, we reiterated the commitment that we will continue to work towards a more effective partnership and as well a closer friendship.
So thank you, Mr. Secretary. Thank you, everyone.

SECRETARY KERRY: Well, thank you very much, Albert. Mangandang hapon. Good afternoon, everybody. I’m very happy to be here. And I want to thank my good friend, Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario. He is always very generous in his relationships with us, and especially in his welcome to me. We have met now on the side of meetings in Brunei, in Bali, and we have met in Washington, and now I have an opportunity to be able to come here back to Manila. And I’m very, very pleased to be here with you, Albert. I very much look forward later this evening to meeting with President Aquino at the Malacanang Palace.

And for me, it really is a special pleasure to be able to be back in Manila. First of all, there’s such a great energy in the Philippines today. The economy of the Philippines over the course of the last year has been one of the fastest growing in the world. And I know having my previous visit canceled because of a typhoon, a storm, I’m particularly grateful that President Aquino and Foreign Secretary del Rosario gave me the forbearance to be able to reschedule. I said I would come before the end of the year, and I’m glad that I am here before the end of the year.
I have really always marveled at the amazing spirit of the Filipino people, and I’ve come to know it. I know something about it. First of all, we obviously, all of us in the world, marvel at the remarkable resilience and strength of the Filipino people in responding to the terrible devastation of Typhoon Yolanda. Mr. Secretary, the world has seen your strength and the strength of your people, and we admire it.

Since the typhoon hit, I’m proud to say that the United States has worked very, very closely with our partners in the Philippines. And I’m very grateful on behalf of the American people to Secretary del Rosario for his comments of thanks. The American people are proud to help, and the American people, I think, take great pride in the fact that there is a spirit in our country of helping those in distress, but also there is a special affection for the Philippines. We have been tied together for a long time, and in our meeting today, I reassured the Foreign Secretary of the United States’ commitment to stand by the Philippines as they go through the process now of the recovery and the reconstruction.

We have a long tradition of working together on these kinds of things, from countering extremism to strengthening our economic ties, our maritime security, to fighting poverty and creating the conditions for broad-based prosperity and growth. One of the most enduring aspects of our legacy, our partnership, are the binding ties, the personal ties, between our people. More than 300,000 American citizens live in the Philippines, and nearly four million people of Filipino origin live in the United States and contribute in so many ways to America’s diverse cultural heritage.

I’ve had personal connections to the Philippines for a long period of time, but most recently in 1986, I became involved as a young senator in the effort to have an accountable election when President Marcos called a snap election, and to make certain that democracy was restored in the Philippines. I worked with then-to-become President Cory Aquino and with NAMFREL and others, and I’m proud that during that period of time, I got to travel around the Philippines and see people voting. I will never forget being in Danao and then later up here in Manila and watching people stand, thousands at a time in line, for the privilege of voting, of having their fingers stamped and their thumbs, and of standing in the hot sun in order to make democracy work. It was inspiring. And I’ll never forget the look on the faces of people who were voting for the first time, and the yellow shirts and waving their pro-democracy banners. The courage of the Filipino people then lit a spark that actually traveled around the world, and it inspired not just a young freshman senator from Massachusetts, but it inspired popular movements from Eastern Europe to Burma.

The United States is proud of the rich history that we share and our enduring alliance with the Philippines, which is an important democracy and one of America’s key treaty allies in the dynamic Asia Pacific region, one of our five allies. As the foreign secretary and I discussed today, the United States is committed to working with the Philippines to address its most pressing security challenges. That’s why we are negotiating a strong and enduring framework agreement that would enhance defense cooperation under our alliance, including through an increased rotational presence of U.S. forces in Philippines. And that’s why we have committed $40 million for a new initiative to improve the Philippines’s maritime security and maritime domain awareness.

That’s also why we support efforts to reduce tensions surrounding the territorial and maritime disputes in the South China Sea in two important ways – first, we strongly support ASEAN’s efforts with China to move quickly to conclude a code of conduct as a key to reducing the risk of accidents or miscalculation. In that process, we think that claimants have a responsibility to clarify their claims and to align their claims with international law. That is the way to proceed in resolving any disputes over the South China Sea – peacefully, and with international law.
Second, we support internationally recognized dispute resolution mechanisms such as those that are provided in the Law of the Sea Convention. The United States strongly opposes the use of intimidation, coercion, or aggression to advance territorial claims. And I assured the foreign secretary that the United States remains firmly committed to the security of the Philippines and the region. Today, I raised our deep concerns about China’s announcement of an East China Sea Air Defense Identification Zone. I told the foreign secretary that the United States does not recognize that zone and does not accept it. The zone should not be implemented, and China should refrain from taking similar unilateral actions elsewhere in the region, and particularly over the South China Sea.

I am also pleased to announce that the United States and the Philippines have negotiated an MOU to cooperate in the restoration, operation, and maintenance of Clark Veterans Cemetery. This agreement is not just another piece of paper. It’s about upholding a sacred promise to honor those who served and sacrificed on all of our behalf. So I am enormously gratified that we are ensuring that the 8,600 Americans and Filipinos who are buried on the hallow grounds of that cemetery will receive the respect and the dignity that they deserve. And I might add I was honored today to lay a wreath at the cemetery here in Manila where some 17,201 American and Filipino men and women are buried from World War II. That is the largest cemetery in which Americans are buried from World War II, and it is a remarkable place and it is a humbling tribute to the links between us in our struggle for freedom and for democracy and for dignity.
The United States is also one of the Philippines largest trading partners in Asia. Last year, $22 billion crossed between us in two-way trade. So we look forward to working with the Philippines to further deepen our trade relationship, understanding that this benefits both of us, that it creates jobs in America, in the Philippines – puts people to work, it raises the standard of living, but it also raises the standard of doing business, and that works for everybody.
So we discussed today the possibilities of the Philippines interest in joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which is a trade pact that will raise standards and increase broad-based sustainable economic growth throughout the region. And we will be welcoming an initial team to engage with us in early January to have technical discussions regarding this possibility.
All of you know that the Philippines is, of course, an ASEAN state. And the Philippines participation in the U.S.-ASEAN Expanded Economic Engagement Initiative is helping to strengthen the relationship of 10 countries of ASEAN, and lay the groundwork for these nations’ future participation in high-standard agreements such as the TPP. Nearly three decades ago, an unassuming political novice, courageous leader by the name of Corazon Aquino rose to the presidency on the top of a wave called People Power.

Just as the United States did then, today we will stand ready to be a partner in helping the Filipino people realize their full promise. As we meet today’s challenges and chart a path forward together, we draw strength from the principle of the foundation of our shared history, and we look forward to strengthening our relationship by bringing you the greetings of President Obama, who looks forward to coming to the region in the spring of next year, and we will continue to be present and accounted for in our relationships and in our efforts in this region.
Thank you, Mr. Secretary.

MODERATOR: Now, Secretary del Rosario and Secretary Kerry are ready to take a few questions from our media friends.
Manny, please.

QUESTION: Good afternoon, sirs. Manny Mogado from Reuters. You mentioned two developments in the South China Sea and the East China Sea – the ADIZ and the new condition of American warship with the Chinese warship. May we know what America is seeking from China, from the certain set of operational norms or rules, to (inaudible) this? And how soon can the two sides settle this issue to avoid miscalculation and accidents?
And can we ask Secretary del Rosario to comment on the issue since there’s a rising tension between China and the U.S., and there’s (inaudible) increased rotational presence of U.S. forces in the Philippines. Is the Philippines concerned about these developments? And what are our – what do we see? How can we be affected by this?

And my second part of the question is on the TPP. You said that there would be a technical team coming to the U.S. next month. How far can we go from here, since the Philippines has yet to amend its constitution to open up its economy? Thank you.

MODERATOR: Secretary Kerry.

SECRETARY KERRY: Well, with respect to China, let me make it very clear. We don’t view the situation as one of rising tensions. That is not the way we view this, and we don’t want rising tensions, and we’re not looking to do anything except continue a process that President Obama initiated a number of years ago when he began the rebalance to Asia. And what we are involved in are normal processes by which we work with other countries in order to raise their maritime protection capacity. We all have interests in preventing smuggling and preventing terrorism and patrolling our borders and so forth.

So we’re not suggesting that we’re doing something out of the ordinary here. We don’t want anything except a rule-of-law approach to the resolution of any issues and conflicts. So when you say what do we want from China, we would hope to continue to work closely with China, as we are on North Korea and other issues – trade and so forth – in an effort to try to resolve these kinds of differences or questions in a peaceful way. We believe there is a structure that exists – the Law of the Sea structure, an arbitration process. We have not taken a position on the particular claims asserted by anybody. We have taken a position on the way that we think they should be resolved. So we support arbitration and we support rule of law. We do not support unilateral actions that have the impact of being provocative and raising the temperature and potential conflict.

So we are not approaching this with any particular view towards China except to say when China makes a unilateral move, we will state our position and make clear what we agree or disagree with, and that’s what we’ve done with respect to the ADIZ. We do not accept it. We think it is – there’s a way to approach it. A country has a right to establish an ADIZ. But it has to be done through a process of consultation, work with the International Aviation Organization, and in a way that other nations are consulted and work with it. And we think that’s the best way to proceed, and I think most countries in the world believe that’s the best way to proceed.
With respect to the TPP and how far can you go, that’s really a decision that the Philippines has to make. We’re here to talk about the possibilities. Your leaders will have to make their own judgments about those possibilities. And we encourage a robust debate. People may see benefits, they may see downsides, and it’s up to your leadership. We’re not going to presume to tell you what you ought to do or suggest anything, but we do think there are benefits in this agreement, and we hope the Philippines will see the benefits and want to seize them. It is completely up to your leaders to make their decisions about where to go.
MODERATOR: Secretary del Rosario.

SECRETARY DEL ROSARIO: I think on the ADIZ, we had stated an official position as far as China’s establishment of an ADIZ over the East China Sea. Our position was the – China, in doing this, effectively is attempting to transform an air zone into its own domestic airspace, and we think that this is – could lead to compromising freedom of flight in terms of civil aviation. It could also compromise, we believe, safety of and security of the affected nations.
We have called on China to ensure that their actions are not – do not jeopardize the regional security and stability, and we have actually taken the position that – of greater concern, we believe, are the announcements being made by the spokesperson of China and the Chinese ambassador to the Philippines that they will consider ADIZs in other areas in due course. Now, that, for us, is – it will be a problem if it is something that involves the South China Sea.
As far as the TPP is concerned, the president is – I believe is – would like us to positively explore to what extent we can participate, and the U.S. has offered guidance, and we are accepting that offer. And as a matter of fact, we have been meeting with USTR, and there is a technical consultation that will take place in January.

MODERATOR: Thank you, Manny.
Indira.

QUESTION: Thank you. Indira Lakshmanan from Bloomberg News. First question is for Secretary del Rosario and also if Secretary Kerry can add anything to it. Japan has announced its new defense security strategy passed today by the Abe government, and China was quick to denounce it. Do you think that China’s concerns are overblown, or is – or has Japan not even gone far enough in expanding its military considering the constraints? If both of you could address that.

And then Secretary Kerry, on Syria, can you confirm that the U.S. is talking to the Islamic Front? And there were reports that the Islamic Front actually walked out of that meeting today. What do you hope to achieve by it? And also, your close colleague, the French Foreign Minister Fabius, has said that he’s pessimistic about the Geneva II conference actually happening. To get your thoughts on that?

MODERATOR: Secretary del Rosario.

SECRETARY DEL ROSARIO: Yeah. I’m afraid I’ll have to beg for your understanding and pass up that question. I’ve not been briefed on that. That happened this morning, you said. Once I take a look and come to a position, I will send you an email.

MODERATOR: Secretary Kerry.

SECRETARY KERRY: Well, as many of you know, the United States and Japan had what we call a 2+2 meeting a couple of months ago – 2+2 meaning both the Defense Secretary and the Secretary of State, their foreign minister, and their defense secretary, both of us meeting – and we met in Tokyo. And there, we laid out a plan going well into the future. It’s a joint vision of Japan-U.S. cooperation in terms of security for the region and elsewhere. Japan is increasingly playing a responsible, important role in terms of humanitarian assistance, peacekeeping – engagement in seeking peace, the Palestinian-Israeli issue, other issues.

And so our belief is that with respect to the participation in the overall challenges of this region, Japan has an ability to play an increasingly more modern and engaged role. This is something that we have been working on and they have been planning for some period of time. So again, this is not a sudden response to something or anything that anybody should get particularly upset about. It seems to me that we’re only talking about constructive efforts within internationally accepted frameworks, and for peaceful and appropriate purposes. And it is yet to be determined exactly what that role will be or exactly where they will go, but they have an ability to be able to participate more, and we welcome that in the context of our strategic thinking and in terms of our 2+2 engagement. So that is really a reflection, I think, of a path that we’ve been talking about for some period of time, what happened earlier today.

With respect to Syria, the Islamic Front, and Geneva II, the United States has not met yet to date with the Islamic Front. There has not been a discussion, but it’s possible that it could take place. There is an effort afoot among all of the supporter nations of the Syrian opposition, the moderate opposition, to want to broaden the base of moderate opposition and to broaden the base of representation of the Syrian people in the Geneva II negotiation. So there will be some discussions that the UN, Lakhdar Brahimi, the special envoy, and we and others – the UK, France, others in the region – will engage in, in order to make sure that the delegation that goes to Geneva will be as broadly representative as possible of the legitimate oppositionists who could be acceptable at that table. That obviously does not include the radical extremists and the worst elements that are to some degree on the ground.

With respect to Foreign Minister Fabius’s comments, I would just say that we continue to work very, very hard to aim towards Geneva II and the conference. And the reason is very simple – what is the alternative? There’s no alternative other than continued fighting, continued destruction, continued growth in the refugee population, continued potential disintegration of a whole country, and the continued increase of the numbers of radical extremists who are appearing on the scene to fill the void. That is dangerous. We have no choice but to push towards a Geneva conference.

Now, whether it happens, I believe that it can take place in January, but it’s – nobody’s ever suggested it’s going to be easy. Nobody ever suggested that this path is going to suddenly just happen like that and is going to produce an outcome. It is very difficult and it’s not going to happen that rapidly. But the alternative is far worse than fighting to get to the table to have a negotiation and have a negotiated resolution. And I will continue to push for that as well as others because we believe that’s the only solution to the problem of Syria. And so we must find a way to get to that negotiation. Whether it’s difficult or not or whether it has got big hurdles in front of it or not, there is no better alternative than trying to do that.

MODERATOR: Thank you. Next question, Tarra. This is the second to the last question.

QUESTION: Hi, good afternoon, sirs. I’m Tarra from the Philippine Daily Inquirer. Sir, the international community has repeatedly called for sovereignty and rule of law as regards to the situation in South China Sea. But it seems that China has repeatedly taken activities viewed as alarming or provocative, like the ADIZ and the refusal to take part in arbitration. Where do you think is the situation headed, and is there a tipping point, if any at all?

SECRETARY KERRY: Well, I think what’s important, folks, is to lower the intensity, avoid the provocations, work through international law, and for the claimants to stay united and to press international law as the means of resolving this. In my judgment, that is the best way to proceed. And I hope that ultimately, our – that the leaders in China will see the wisdom of engaging in that activity to work through any claims in those institutions and through those laws that were set up specifically to resolve those kinds of claims.

In this day and age, we should be long past the time of unilateral assertion and of coercion as a means of trying to back up that assertion. So our hope is that the parties will come together, continue to proceed through arbitration and international law, and I’m confident that that can ultimately resolve these kinds of questions. And I think we have to have faith in that kind of process. The United States will stand with our friends in this region who are asserting their efforts to try to resolve this through that kind of legal peaceful process. We think that’s the responsible way to proceed, and that’s what the United States will continue to support.

MODERATOR: The last question will come from Keith.

QUESTION: Keith Bradsher, The New York Times. There’s been talk in the Philippines of climate justice following Typhoon Haiyan or Typhoon Yolanda. Do you see the typhoon as a warning of further super-storms? And if it is, does the United States have a moral and/or financial obligation to provide assistance to the extent of its historical carbon emissions? Thank you.

MODERATOR: Secretary del Rosario.

SECRETARY DEL ROSARIO: Well, I think it has been said that the intensity of and force of Typhoon Yolanda could (inaudible) the expectation in the future that possibly Yolanda could be the norm. So I think that climate change should be such. This is, of course, a threat that we must address, and I think every country on its own must be prepared to address the expectation that Yolanda is not a once in a lifetime, that it may happen again. And that’s why the president has come up with a national plan for reconstruction that will actually be unveiled tomorrow.

And the plan calls for a – not only a build back, but a build back better so that we can enable ourselves to be in a position to withstand similar threats in terms of natural catastrophes. I think each country has got to make provisions for itself, and I think the community of nations hopefully will come to the assistance of nations that are – that suffer this misfortune. That’s – we are a village, a global village, and I think we need to help one another. And natural catastrophes do not choose whether you’re a wealthy country or a poor country. I think that is the reality of what’s happening.

And we are – of course, we’ve reached a point in Yolanda where we’re realizing that the outpouring of support, the overwhelming support we’ve received from the international community, is something that we did not expect. And so we see in our neighbors, in the rest of the global community, we see a face of kindness and a spirit of generosity, and we’re ultimately very grateful for that.

MODERATOR: Secretary Kerry.

SECRETARY KERRY: I’ve been involved in this issue since the 1980s, and I believe in the science of climate change. I believe the scientists who tell us that it is happening, that human beings are contributing to it – a significant cause of the increase of emissions which is creating major changes across the planet. And the scientists predict that we will see massive changes in agriculture, in ecosystems, in fisheries, in water supplies, food security, increased heat, fires, and intensity in storms.

Now, having said everything I just said, science cannot prove that Typhoon Yolanda was specifically the result of climate change. It is not possible to make that direct linkage at this point in time, even though they are predicting greater intensity of storms, but over time a pattern will evolve, and that may become more determinative.

Nevertheless, what we face today is sufficient to say that developed nations in the world need to take the lead in order to reduce emissions and begin to deal with this problem that lots of nations, like the Pacific Islands and others who haven’t caused anything, are feeling the consequences of. That is why we have a major emitters forum of the top 20 emitting countries who are working towards taking steps both of mitigation and prevention.

And President Obama has taken the initiative to put in place a climate action plan in the United States, and is trying to achieve by administrative effort what he cannot get through the United States Congress. And we have taken strong measures on automobile efficiency, new standards for tailpipes on power generation, new power plants, and other things. So we are responding.

We have also responded by trying to help other countries to be able to develop their energy programs, to use USAID for clean and alternative energy and renewable energy and other kinds of programs, as well as to engage in some planning for mitigation and to help other countries to be able to do it. Now, what the levels ought to be is going to be subject to a hot and heavy political debate, obviously. But it is clear that this issue is growing in consequence and importance, and it requires governments all over the world to push towards the next Conference of the Parties that will take place under the UN in order to try to come to an agreement about how we are going to avoid the worst consequences of what has already been put into play.

So President Obama and the United States recognize – at least this Administration recognizes and many senators and congressmen join them – in recognizing a responsibility to try to help deal with this. But there is no yet agreed-upon process by which people will actually implement that, and that is really the fight and struggle over the course of the next Conference of the Parties and the future.

MODERATOR: Thank you, Secretary Kerry and Secretary del Rosario. Ladies and gentlemen, that ends our joint press conference.

RECENT U.S. MARINE CORPS PHOTOS FROM TACLOBAN, PHILIPPINES

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT 
A sign displays thanks to all agencies involved in relief and recovery efforts in Tacloban, Philippines, Nov. 23, 2013. U.S. troops, multiple government agencies, international aid groups and militaries assisted in providing humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to affected areas throughout the island nation following Typhoon Haiyan. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Master Sgt. Antoine Robinson.

A van is abandoned in the middle of a swamp outside of Tacloban, Philippines, Nov. 23, 2013. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Master Sgt. Antoine Robinson.

U.S. MILITARY CONTINUES PROVIDING RELIEF TO VICTIMS OF TYPHOON HAIYAN

Right:  A U.S. Navy MH-60S Seahawk helicopter, center, assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 25 prepares to drop supplies over Tacloban Airfield in Tacloban, Leyte province, Philippines, Nov. 14, 2013, in support of Operation Damayan. U.S. military forces were deployed to the Philippines to support  humanitarian efforts in response to Typhoon Haiyan. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Ricardo R. Guzma.

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT 

WASHINGTON, Nov. 17, 2013 – U.S. military assets have as of early today delivered approximately 655,000 pounds of relief supplies provided by the U.S. Agency for International Development since the start of Operation Damayan, the relief effort in support of the government of the Philippines in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda.

The duration and extent of U.S. military support will depend on the request from the government of the Philippines. American forces will be present as long as they are needed, but no longer than required.

In addition to the delivery of relief supplies, U.S. military aircraft have to date logged nearly 650 flight hours, moved nearly 1,200 relief workers into Tacloban and have airlifted nearly 4,900 survivors from typhoon-impacted areas.
Over the last 24 hours, more than 66,000 pounds of food, water and shelter items have been delivered to Tacloban, Borongan and Guiuan -- some of the hardest-hit regions.

At the request of the government of the Philippines, international military forces in the region are also ramping up their support. Australia, India, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan are currently providing aircraft and/or medical personnel to assist in the relief operations. Similar military support from Brunei, Great Britain, New Zealand and Thailand is also expected.
U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific is coordinating efforts by Marine forces in the U.S. Pacific Command area of responsibility and working with the Philippine government to rapidly deliver humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to the areas the Philippine government deems most in need. The U.S.-Philippines visiting forces agreement helped facilitate the speed of this response.

U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific’s ability to coordinate with all available Defense Department resources in Pacom’s area of responsibility to respond rapidly to the Philippine government’s request reaffirms the value of the close cooperation the two nations share.

The people of the Philippines are responding to the typhoon’s impact with characteristic resilience, aided by the effective measures their government took to help prepare them for the storm.

In the immediate aftermath of the typhoon, the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade deployed a humanitarian assistance survey team to conduct assessments of impacted areas.

USNS MERCY PREPARES FOR POSSIBLE DEPLOYMENT TO PHILIPPINES

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT 
Hospital Ship Activates to Support Typhoon Relief Mission
From a U. S. Pacific Fleet News Release

PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii, Nov. 14, 2013 – The commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet yesterday directed the activation of USNS Mercy to prepare the hospital ship for possible deployment to the Philippines.

Navy Adm. Harry B. Harris Jr. directed the activation to accelerate Mercy's ability to attain full operating status in case it’s needed to support the ongoing Operation Damayan relief effort in the typhoon-ravaged island nation, officials said.

The activation order includes moving necessary personnel and equipment to the ship, which is berthed in San Diego. Mercy has been in a reduced operating status, which officials said is normal for a hospital ship.

If ordered to deploy, Mercy would get underway in the next several days, and would arrive in the Philippines in December, joining other U.S. Pacific Fleet units already supporting Operation Damayan.

On Nov. 11, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel ordered the aircraft carrier USS George Washington and its escort ships to depart early from a liberty port in Hong Kong and make best possible speed for the Philippines. George Washington, USS Antietam, USS Cowpens and USNS Yukon were expected to arrive off the Philippine coast this evening local time.

U.S. Pacific Fleet ships already operating in the Western Pacific also were immediately diverted. USS Mustin, USS Lassen, USS Emory S. Land, and USNS Bowditch are now on station and coordinating with the Philippine government. The U.S. Navy also has P-3 maritime aircraft supporting the disaster relief effort led by the Philippine government.

The amphibious ships USS Ashland and USS Germantown are leaving Sasebo, Japan, today. After picking up Marines, equipment and relief supplies in Okinawa, the two ships will arrive at the Philippines in about a week. USS McCampbell and USNS Charles Drew also are heading to the Philippines.

The ships and their complement of aircraft, including helicopters, will provide food and water, the capability to move relief supplies to isolated areas, and to help move the badly injured for medical care, officials said.

The U.S. Navy routinely trains with numerous Pacific nations and military units, including the Philippine armed forces, to prepare for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions, officials said. In 2012, Mercy participated in the annual Pacific Partnership mission, which included working with Philippine authorities near Tacloban, the area hardest hit by Typhoon Haiyan.

Because of the long-standing partnership between the two nations, Pacific Fleet officials said, the United States, working through the Philippine government, is able to rapidly respond with critically needed capabilities and supplies in times of crisis.

The role of U.S. military forces during any foreign humanitarian assistance event, officials explained, is to respond rapidly to host-nation requests for support in mitigating suffering and property damage and in preventing further loss of life. Operation Damayan is part of the broader U.S. government effort to support the Philippine government's request for humanitarian assistance, they added. The effort includes coordination by the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development, in constant consultation with Philippine authorities.
As of yesterday, Philippine and U.S. personnel have transported more than 107,000 pounds of relief supplies, officials said.

SECRETARY OF STATE KERRY'S REMARKS AT 50TH U.S.-JAPAN BUSINESS CONFERENCE

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT 
Remarks at a Dinner for the 50th U.S.-Japan Business Conference
Remarks
John Kerry
Secretary of State
The Willard Hotel
Washington, DC
November 14, 2013

SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you very much. Thank you, thank you. Thank you very much, Ambassador. Thank you very much. (Applause.) Please, thank you, thank you, thank you. I am enormously grateful (inaudible). Winston Churchill said the only reason people ever give a standing ovation is they desperately need an excuse to shift their underwear. (Laughter.) I know you had a much more noble cause in mind. (Laughter.) And I thank you for that.

Charles, thank you for a very warm introduction. I’m very grateful. And there’s nothing worse than parachuting into a dinner, interrupting people’s meal. You don’t have any idea what everybody’s been talking about and you’re going to give a speech for a few minutes. But I’m going to try and do that as effectively as I can.

I’m really honored to be here. As you all know – it was mentioned in the introduction by Charles – I used to be an elected official. I was a senator for 29 years. So I used to go to things and say, “It’s nice to be invited anywhere.” (Laughter.) And now that may be more true, I don’t know. (Laughter.)

I was walking through an airport a few months before I was nominated to be Secretary of State, and it was up in Boston. This guy points at me – you know that note of recognition as you’re walking and you see the eyes fix on you or something – and he said, “Hey you. Hey, anybody ever tell you, you look like that Kerry guy we sent down to Washington?” (Laughter.) And I said perfectly normally, I said, “Yeah, they tell me that all the time.” (Laughter.) He says, “Kind of makes you mad, doesn’t it?” (Laughter.) So I’m really lucky to be out of that and happy to be here.

It’s wonderful to be here with Tom Donohue and with all of you celebrating the 50th year of the U.S.-Japanese Business Conference. And I can tell looking out at the ballroom – and I think – where’s Tom Nides? Is he here somewhere? No, not Tom Donohue. Tom Nides. Is he here? Somebody told me Nides was going to be here. Well, anyway – well, I’ve now outed him. He skipped the dinner. (Laughter.) Trouble.

But I know a lot of the folks who are here, and this is a very powerful group of smart business people, all of whom understand the new global economy that we are dealing with, and as Tom and I were talking just walking in here, a much more complex world in many ways than the world that we grew used to through the latter part of the 20th century. The Cold War was really simple compared to what we’re looking at today, with the rise of sectarianism, religious extremism, the challenges of global barriers breaking down, masses of young people all around the planet desperate for education, for jobs, for opportunity, for a reach at the brass ring.

And relationships like ours, the relationship between Japan and the United States, are even that much more important when you think about the complexity and the importance of alliances in this new global economy and with these multiple challenges that we all face. If anybody doubts the importance of this particular relationship, let me just tell you that all you have to do is look at my schedule just for this week. This is my third event with Ambassador Sasae this week. (Laughter.) And I think it underscores the importance – I had the privilege of being with him when we swore in Caroline Kennedy and a wonderful reception at his home to toast her, and literally within hours she is on an airplane right now and she will land in a couple of hours in Tokyo and begin her journey there.

So Mr. Ambassador, I can promise you, as I’ve said previously, President Obama is sending somebody to represent the United States in Japan who truly has his ear and his respect. And she is a very accomplished individual – author, lawyer, a convener of people for all kinds of things through her lifetime. In many ways, she’s been an ambassador all her life, as I said at her swearing-in. And obviously, with her work with the Kennedy Library, her work as the chief of the partnership for schools and education in New York City, and so many other efforts, I believe she’s going to really take our relationship to new heights, and we’re excited about that.

It’s not inappropriate with Caroline Kennedy on that airplane and as we mark the 50th anniversary of the loss of President Kennedy that we remember what President Kennedy said 50 years ago. He urged Americans to look inter-continentally instead of inwardly, to bridge oceans with purposeful partnerships. And he said that we must “look outward to cooperate with all nations in meeting their common concerns.” I don’t think that that charge has ever been more important than it really is today.

Fifty years later, with President Obama’s leadership with respect to our outreach, to the rebalance in Asia, we are bringing that commitment and we are particularly bringing that commitment to our partnership with Japan. As the President said in Tokyo on his first visit in his first year in office, the Pacific Ocean doesn’t separate us as much as it connects us. And I think the same can be said and most of us here would feel the same way about the shared values that have brought us through these 50 years and more in a period of enormous transformation for both of our countries.

We also know, however, that you can’t rest on the past. It never works. You need to keep revitalizing the alliance and reframing it. Secretary Hagel and I paid a visit just a short time ago to Japan. We were in Tokyo for what we call a 2+2, which is Defense Secretary and Secretary of State meeting their counterparts. And we worked very closely there in order to forge a new framework for our alliance for the first time in nearly twenty years. We are not just recommitting to the partnership that has been the cornerstone of Asia’s security and prosperity for the past six decades, we are reinvigorating and redefining the ways that we need to carry that relationship into the future.

And I think as you look at our work together, whether it’s on security, on trade, on global challenges and people-to-people ties, we are proving true what Prime Minister Abe said in Washington: No one should ever doubt the strength of this remarkable alliance. Now, we could not be more pleased with the initiative of Prime Minister Abe and the work that he is doing now to strengthen Japan and its alliance and also, frankly, to play a more robust and more engaged role within the region, which is important, and we welcome that initiative and that effort.

Today, we have the opportunity to, frankly, break new ground in how we keep countries safe, how we help economies to mature, how we create new jobs and embrace partnerships for the future. And I was telling Tom as we came in here one of the things that I have said since day one when I became Secretary of State is that in many ways foreign policy today, more than almost at any time in recent memory, foreign policy is economic policy, and economy policy is foreign policy. And we need to really focus in on that – all of us – as we think about the ways in which we’re going to grow our economies and provide for this rapidly increasing demand for services and opportunity on a global basis.

I think that we’ve seen this partnership grow in other ways. Right now, Japan and the United States are working together in order to provide emergency assistance in the Philippines because of the devastation from the typhoon. That’s the kind of cooperation that redefines security and partnership in the region. And as I said in my remarks at Tokyo Tech when I spoke just last spring, we believe not in some specific set of commandments about how we ought to behave, but rather in a mutual recognition that, as you say in Japan, we are all in this together, otagai-sama. (Laughter.) Not bad. (Applause.)

Every one of you comes to these tables tonight and most importantly to this 50-year partnership with an understanding of your own businesses and of this new, more competitive, more voracious, fast-moving economy that we’re all working in. And it is the success of your businesses and the strength of the ties between them and the United States and your own countries – Japan or America – that is really the proof of what I’m talking about here tonight. For those of you representing Japanese companies who have invested in the United States, we thank you. We also invite you to do more, to recognize what is happening here in America with respect to our productivity, our competitiveness, and the extraordinary fact that we have suddenly become the number one oil and gas producer in the world and will be energy-independent by the year 2035. It’s extraordinary. I can’t tell you that it was something that was absolutely, totally planned. It came about because of the extraordinary productivity and innovation of some of our companies, and that innovation is now producing a different future for people all over the world.

We also hope that you will recognize that we, I think, are the number one leading nation in the world with respect to foreign direct investment from very, very many places, and now increasingly we are finding ourselves manufacturing competitive with manufacturing coming back as a consequence of a whole bunch of different ingredients that I won’t go into tonight.

I also want to point out that through the work of a program called SelectUSA, we are working aggressively to reach out to countries to market something that we haven’t always done as aggressively in the past but which we think is important in this new dynamic.

For those American companies among you who have invested in the Japanese market, likewise we say thank you, because your investments abroad create jobs back here at home and they generate wealth that not only supports our economy but becomes invested and helps to deal with challenges on a global basis.

To harness the full strength of our alliance, I would respectfully say to you that we need to actually deepen our economic ties, and we need to unlock the full potential for growth in the Asia Pacific, a fast – remarkably, one of the fastest-growing parts of the world, obviously. I was just in Brunei and Bali for the summits, and I could feel this incredible energy as well as just see the remarkable set of opportunities.

But the great catalyst for this effort, we believe, is the Trans-Pacific Partnership. We are absolutely convinced that the multilateral free trade agreement under negotiation with some of the world’s most vibrant economies represents something good for everybody in the world and it will make a difference by raising standards, opening up markets, and creating, literally, millions of more jobs in our country, in yours, and across the Asian Pacific. This is the future.

And with Japan’s entry, the TPP markets are going to comprise nearly 40 percent of the world’s GPP. You put that together with the TTIP and Europe, and you have the most powerful economic force on this planet, raising the standards of everybody, breaking down barriers, breaking down the sometimes government-placed barriers, and creating a fair playing field which improves everybody’s sense of the future, and certainly sends a message to capital about investment, which really is important to the kind of growth that we need in all of our countries.

So the TPP is not only going to be a job creator here at home and in Japan and throughout East Asia, but it’s going to ensure that the highest standards that we set in our own economies become the standard by which everybody then begins to measure their own judgments about investment and about the marketplace. And that improves the certainty of investment as well as creates a stability from which every single one of us will benefit.

We also know that the vitality of our partnership for the future depends on innovation. This has been proven over the last years, ever since World War II. Almost all of the productivity that we saw in our country – I think about 85, 90 percent of it – came through increases in innovation. And the foundation for innovation – none of us dare forget – is people. It’s the ability to be able to have people take ideas and take risks and be willing to cross oceans and create the new products and new possibilities of that future.

Through our exchange of technology and talent, U.S. and Japanese researchers right now are making historic breakthroughs in creating new – in helping to build the International Space Station, in helping to find cures for cancer and treatments for cancer. And from the tragedy of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, we have actually been able to cooperate and find ways to make great strides in disaster response, recovery, and risk mitigation.

But as with any profitable partnership, every single one of you here knows that growth requires investment. And when it comes to the educational exchange, I just want to single out for you we can do better and we need to do better. In recent years, the number of Japanese students studying full-time in the United States for their university degrees has dropped by nearly 60 percent. Meanwhile, the number of U.S. students studying in Japan, while growing steadily, has actually remained relatively low despite the growth. So each of you here can actually engage in proactive ways to help us continue that exchange which is going to be critical to the vitality of our innovation and the growth of this partnership.

And it’s important because in today’s world, whether it’s climate change, or the problem and challenge of youth unemployment or global health, every one of these issues transcend borders. They don’t belong to any one country. And so the result is we have to find new thinking that brings people together on an international basis willing to cooperate, willing to share the values and share the solutions to these particular problems.

I think the reality is that the United States and Japan’s ability to create shared prosperity tomorrow rests almost exclusively in what we do to build the stronger ties today. And I invite all of you to find ways for your businesses to create these stronger partnerships and move us forward. As we work to grab ahold of these opportunities in the future, there are some special things we’re going to need to pay attention to. Everybody knows about the tensions over islands between Japan and China. We’re all very cognizant of still some unfinished business with respect to the Republic of Korea and the need to move to the future and not be held by the past. We also know that North Korea presents a very special challenge to all of us, and one in which our cooperation with China will be as critical as any other single thing that we do, because China above all has the ability to make the greatest difference in the choices that North Korea makes. And we have been having that dialogue very directly, and that policy is moving, and I believe it is the only way ultimately to – the only way that we want to rationally accept to force the denuclearization of the peninsula, which is critical to the non-nuclearization of the entire region.

So these are the challenges. They’re not small. And because of what so many of you in this room have helped to achieve, I believe we have a chance to turn our potential into the promise of the future and to address each of these. I think we have the opportunity to live up to our generational responsibility to meet these challenges, and I look forward to passing that generational test with you in an effort to make certain that we make wise decisions, that we protect the future, and importantly in that effort, that we continue to build this extraordinary relationship.

Thank you for letting me be here to celebrate with you. Thank you. (Applause.)

FTC WARNS PUBLIC OF TYPHOON HAIYAN CHARITY SCAMS

FROM:  FEDERAL TRACE COMMISSION 
FTC Warns Consumers: Beware of Typhoon Haiyan Charity Scams

Tips are also available in Tagalog language
In the wake of the devastating typhoon that struck the Philippines, the Federal Trade Commission, the nation’s consumer protection agency, reminds consumers that scams often follow disasters. If you’re asked to make a charitable donation to help people in disaster-affected areas, before you give, be sure your donations are going to a reputable organization that will use the money as promised.

Unfortunately, legitimate charities face competition from scammers who either collect for a charity that doesn’t exist or aren't honest about how their “charity” will use the money you give. Like legitimate charities, they might appeal for donations in person, by phone or mail, by e-mail, on websites, or on social networking sites. For more on the questions to ask and for a list of groups that can help you research a charity, go to Charity Scams.

If you’re asked to make a charitable donation to support victims of the typhoon, remember:

Donate to charities you know and trust. Be alert for charities that seem to have sprung up overnight in connection with current events, like a natural disaster.
Ask if a caller is a paid fundraiser, who they work for, and what percentage of your donation goes to the charity and to the fundraiser. If you don’t get a clear answer — or if you don’t like the answer you get — consider donating to a different organization.
Read the FTC’s How to Help Victims of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines, also available in Tagalog, Paano Matutulungan ang mga Biktima ng Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) sa Pilipinas.

The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint in English or Spanish, visit the FTC’s online Complaint Assistant or call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357). The FTC enters complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to more than 2,000 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. The FTC’s website provides free information on a variety of consumer topics. Like the FTC on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and subscribe to press releases for the latest FTC news and resources.

SECRETARY OF STATE KERRY'S STATEMENT ON SUPER TYPHOON HAIYAN

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT 
Super Typhoon Haiyan
Press Statement
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
November 8, 2013

On behalf of the people of the United States, I offer our deepest condolences and solidarity as you wrestle with the devastation and loss of life that accompanied Super Typhoon Haiyan. Having so recently had my own visit to the Philippines prevented by another powerful storm, I know that these horrific acts of nature are a burden that you have wrestled with and courageously surmounted before. Your spirit is strong. The United States stands ready to help, our embassies in the Philippines and Palau are in close contact with your governments, and our most heartfelt prayers are with you.

NASA'S IMAGE OF SUPER-TYPHOON HAIYAN

Right:  TRMM saw Haiyan's center was less organized after having passed over the larger Philippines island of Panay, although a large area of heavy rain (shown in ed) is now located just south of the center. Haiyan was estimated to be 145 knots (~167 mph), still equivalent to a Category 5 hurricane.
Image Credit: NASA/SSAI, Hal Pierce

FROM:  NASA, 
Haiyan (Northwestern Pacific Ocean)

Super-typhoon Haiyan, equivalent to a Category 5 hurricane on the U.S. Saffir-Simpson scale, struck the central Philippines municipality of Guiuan at the southern tip of the province of Eastern Samar early Friday morning at 20:45 UTC (4:45 am local time). NASA's TRMM satellite captured visible, microwave and infrared data on the storm.

Haiyan made landfall as an extremely powerful super typhoon, perhaps the strongest ever recorded at landfall, with sustained winds estimated at 195 mph (315 kph) by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center.  Previously, Hurricane Camille, which struck the northern Gulf Coast in 1969, held the record with 190 mph sustained winds at landfall. After striking Samar, Haiyan quickly crossed Leyte Gulf and the island of Leyte as it cut through the central Philippines.
NASA's Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission or TRMM satellite captured an image of Haiyan just as it was crossing the island of Leyte in the central Philippines. Data was taken at 00:19 UTC (8:19 a.m. local) November 8, 2013 and showed the horizontal distribution of rain intensity within the Haiyan. Rain rates in the center of the swath were generated from the TRMM Precipitation Radar (PR), and those in the outer swath were from the TRMM Microwave Imager (TMI). The data was put together at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. where rain rates were overlaid on infrared (IR) data from the TRMM Visible Infrared Scanner (VIRS).  It showed that Haiyan still had a well-defined eye surrounded by a symmetric area of moderate rain with several rainbands wrapping in from the south. The symmetric rain area around the eye is a testament to the storm's intensity--the stronger the storm, the more the features are smeared uniformly around the center.  At the time of the image, Haiyan's sustained winds were estimated to have dropped slightly to 160 knots/~185 mph from crossing Leyte.

TRMM passed over Haiyan about 10 hours later on Nov. 8 at 10:08 UTC/5:08 a.m. EDT/6:08 p.m. Philippines local time. Haiyan was passing south of Mindoro as it was beginning to exit the Philippines.  The center was less organized after having passed over the larger Philippines island of Panay, although a large area of heavy rain (shown in red) is now located just south of the center. At the time of this image, Haiyan's intensity was estimated to be 145 knots/~167 mph, still equivalent to a Category 5 hurricane. TRMM is a joint mission between NASA and the Japanese space agency JAXA.

On Nov. 8 at 1500 UTC/11 a.m. EDT/12 a.m. Nov. 9 Philippines local time, Haiyan's maximum sustained winds had dropped to 135 knots/155.4 mph/250 kph. It slowed a bit, moving to the west at 20 knots/23.0 mph/37.0 kph. Although Haiyan was centered near 11.8 north and 120.6 east, about 170 miles south of Manila, its extent covered most of the Philippines.

So far, four fatalities have been reported as a result of the storm, but these are preliminary as communication to many areas was knocked out.  Haiyan is expected to continue moving in a general westward direction over the next 1 to 2 days before likely striking central Vietnam.