The United States government, through the US Agency for International Development (USAID), recently donated more than P7.6 million ($136,000) worth of educational materials to support the continuity of learning for more than 18,500 students in areas severely affected by recent typhoons in the Bicol region.

USAID Advancing Basic Education in the Philippines (ABC+) Chief of Party Ina Aquino handed over the educational materials to Philippine Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Juan Edgardo Angara and DepEd Bicol Regional Director Gilbert Sadsad at Bula Central School in Bula, Camarines Sur, on December 2.

This donation demonstrates the United States’ ongoing commitment to help communities rebuild and enable children to return to school despite the setbacks caused by typhoons and flooding.

“We recognize that education is not just a means of learning, but a lifeline that helps restore hope and builds resilience,” USAID Philippines Acting Education Office Director Yvette Malcioln said. “We hope that these resources will help students and teachers recover and ensure that education can continue despite disruptions to learning caused by recent disasters.”

The aid package includes 18,600 learner kits and 8,884 early grade reading materials that will help guarantee learning continuity for students in kindergarten through grade three. USAID also donated 528 teacher kits that will support teaching staff across 54 affected schools in the region.

“The Department faced a challenge in printing textbooks. USAID and the ABC+ project came to our aid by providing us with materials and books for the children. They did not skimp on the quality of their materials and their assistance to us,” Angara said. “We are grateful to USAID and the ABC+ project.”

These educational materials are in addition to P336 million ($6 million) in assistance that the United States has provided to support the Philippine government’s response and deliver lifesaving assistance to communities affected by tropical storms, typhoons, and subsequent flooding since October 25. US Embassy in the Philippines Public Affairs Section