PBBM distributes aid to #ElNiñoPH victims in Soccksargen

PTVPhilippines

PBBM distributes aid to #ElNiñoPH victims in Soccksargen;  Storms and tornadoes knock down trees, damage facilities in Michigan;  Aid leaves Cyprus for Gaza to start sea distribution amid dire humanitarian situation in Gaza

Transcript

00:00 Good day, I am Sharm Zespina and this is PTV News Now.

00:06 President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. distributed cash assistance to the local governments of

00:10 South Cotabato, Sarangani Province, and General Santos.

00:14 This is still a part of his relentless drive to help the Filipinos affected by the El Nino phenomenon.

00:20 He gave a total of 10 million pesos to General Santos City and 50 million pesos each to Sarangani and South Cotabato.

00:27 The President assured to alleviate the impact of El Nino.

00:31 He also emphasized the importance of unity as they pursue a "Bagong Pilipinas" which every Filipino deserves.

00:38 In the meantime, severe storms barreled through the Midwest a day after two reported tornadoes struck one Michigan city

00:48 and destroyed homes and commercial buildings including a FedEx facility.

00:53 Tornadoes were first reported in parts of Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio,

00:57 while portions of Illinois, Kentucky, and Missouri were also under a tornado watch.

01:02 The National Weather Service in Pittsburgh warned that a tornado in northeastern Ohio could cross into Pennsylvania.

01:09 Parts of West Virginia were also under a tornado warning.

01:13 No serious injuries were immediately reported, but city officials said in a news release that twisters

01:18 knocked out power to more than 20,000 households.

01:23 The first shipment of humanitarian aid bound for a U.S.-built pier in Gaza

01:28 left a port in Cyprus on the U.S. container ship Sagamore.

01:32 VOA Pentagon correspondent Carla Babb reports.

01:35 Crate after crate of food and water bound for Gaza are loaded Thursday on the Sagamore container ship

01:43 to be transferred to another U.S. ship, the MV Roy Benavidez.

01:47 The U.S. military now pre-positioning aid at sea while waiting to move a newly completed

01:53 U.S.-made floating pier into position off the Gaza coast.

01:57 Since the Benavidez will be on the scene, so to speak, the day we pull the trigger and start operations,

02:05 that then frees up the Sagamore to go back to Cyprus to load up with additional aid.

02:10 But because we're again waiting for the appropriate security and weather conditions to kick this off,

02:17 we're going to use that time to our advantage.

02:19 The situation in Gaza grows more urgent by the day, with life-sustaining aid running low.

02:25 The 2 million Palestinians who live in Gaza are collectively near famine.

02:30 This is, as I understand the numbers, one of the most dire food situations really in recent history.

02:38 Officials say the U.S.-built pier will bring in dozens of truckloads of aid per day

02:43 at a time when defense analyst Michael O'Hanlon says airdrops from the U.S. and others,

02:48 along with truck traffic at border crossings, has been drastically inadequate.

02:54 This pier is desperately needed and actually overdue, and the numbers I've seen imply that

03:01 it could actually help deliver a substantial fraction of what's needed.

03:05 Officials say security measures are in place to protect U.S. troops on the pier

03:10 and civilians distributing aid on the beach.

03:13 We would certainly hope that if Hamas truly does care about the Palestinian people,

03:18 that they would not threaten humanitarian assistance being delivered to people in dire need.

03:23 And for our part, we'll continue to work with the international community to rush that aid in.

03:27 Officials say aid distribution via sea could begin as soon as next week.

03:32 Carla Babb, VOA News, the Pentagon.

03:36 [♪upbeat music♪]

03:39 This has been Sharm Zafina.

03:41 Stay informed, get ahead to get the news right here on KTVU.

03:44 [♪♪]

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