Manila,  5 October 2023—On 4 October, the United States government, through the joint efforts of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the U.S. Civil Affairs Team, turned over 7,000 educational kits worth Php500,000 ($9,000) to support the continuity of learning in typhoon-affected schools in the municipality of Santa Ana in Cagayan.

These educational kits, which include kindergarten- to grade 3-level books and teaching materials, will benefit 3,000 learners and nearly a hundred teachers in 19 schools in Santa Ana that were devastated by Typhoon Egay and Typhoon Falcon earlier this year.

USAID Philippines Office of Education Deputy Director Yvette Malcioln and Contracting Officer Howard Weston joined members of the U.S. Civil Affairs Team to hand over the donation to Santa Ana Councilor Victoriano Fabro and Department of Education (DepEd) Region II Director Dr. Benjamin Paragas.

"More than just paper bound together, these learning materials represent keys to a world of imagination, knowledge, and endless possibilities," USAID Philippines Deputy Director Malcioln said. "As your enduring friend, partner, and ally in development, the United States stands committed to working with the Philippines to equip Filipino learners with the tools they need to succeed. We are investing in the future of the Philippines, one page at a time."

"Our partnership with the local government of Santa Ana has accomplished much in the areas of humanitarian aid, disaster preparedness, medical response, and now, education," said U.S. Civil Affairs Team Leader CPT Dereck Wisniewski. "We must continue to adapt and be diligent in ensuring that the U.S.-Philippine partnership remains steadfast and unwavering in the face of global uncertainty."

"We are very happy that USAID has chosen our municipality for this assistance. These books will surely be used by our teachers to ensure the future of our learners," Councilor Fabro said.

Through its Advancing Basic Education in the Philippines (ABC+) project, USAID has provided more than 26.7 million early-grade reading materials, co-developed and quality-assured by DepEd, to help address gaps in the reading practices of young learners in the Philippines.