VZCZCXRO6463
OO RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHML #2149/01 2820910
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 090910Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY MANILA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5414
RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RHOVQHS/COMSEVENTHFLT  IMMEDIATE
INFO RHHMUNA/USPACOM HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA IMMEDIATE 2304
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0328
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS IMMEDIATE
RUEHRO/USMISSION UN ROME IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MANILA 002149 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
BANGKOK FOR USAID /OFDA REGIONAL ADVISOR A. DWYER 
USAID FOR DCHA/OFDA R. THAYER 
USAID W/ FOR ANE/AA AND DCHA/FPP 
GENEVA FOR N. KYLOH 
USUN FOR OFDA REP 
BRUSSELS FOR P. BROWN 
ROME FOR USAID/OHA H. SPANOS 
SECDEF FOR SOLIC 
JOINT STAFF WASHDC FOR J3/J4/J5 
PACOM FOR J3/J4/J5 
NSC FOR P. MARCHAM 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID SOCI PREL KPAO SENV EAGR RP
SUBJECT: FLOODS ISOLATE THOUSANDS IN CENTRAL LUZON/ U.S. RELIEF 
EFFORT BEGINS ANEW 
 
REFTELS:  A) Manila 2140 
 
------------------------------------- 
Overflowing Dams Threaten Two Million 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶1. (SBU) Heavy rains from the lingering Tropical Storm Pepeng 
(international name Parma) have forced dams in the upper Agno River 
basin to release large amounts of water that threaten to affect up 
to two million residents of central Luzon.  According to press 
reports and contacts in the area, the Pantabagan and San Roque dams 
in Nueva Ecija and Pangasinan provinces, respectively, greatly 
increased spillway flows on October 8, contributing to flooding in 
21 municipalities in the four provinces of Pangasinan, La Union, 
Nueva Ecija, and Benguet.  Over sixty percent of Pangasinan province 
is affected by the flooding, with large areas under eight to ten 
feet of water.  Governor of Pangasinan province Amado Espino Jr. 
told reporters that as of early October 9, 30,000 people were in 
evacuation centers and thousands more were stranded on rooftops.  He 
noted that flood waters had damaged or submerged all of the bridges 
and roads linking Pangasinan to neighboring provinces, effectively 
isolating the area. 
 
----------------------------------- 
USG Responds to GRP Request for Aid 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) The U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM) responded overnight to an 
October 8 request for flood relief assistance from The Armed Forces 
of the Philippines (AFP).  Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, who 
is concurrently head of the Philippine National Disaster 
Coordinating Council, endorsed the request.  Many of the military 
personnel and land, sea, and air assets that the United States will 
contribute to the current rescue/relief effort were deployed in 
Typhoon Ondoy assistance operations.  Seven seven-ton trucks and two 
dump trucks from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit are transporting 
eight rubber boats from Manila to heavily-hit Tarlac province, while 
a KC 130 Hercules aircraft and U.S. Marine Sea Stallion helicopters 
will transport relief supplies and conduct air rescue missions.  The 
USS Harper's Ferry and USS Tortuga are in the vicinity of the 
Lingayen Gulf (which borders two of the impacted provinces, 
including most severely hit Pangasinan) with 18 rubber boats, two 
Sea Stallion helicopters, as well as medical and water-production 
capacity. 
 
---------------- 
USAID Assistance 
---------------- 
¶3. (SBU) USAID's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) 
is providing an additional $2 million in grants to international and 
non-governmental organizations who will provide emergency 
humanitarian assistance to communities in central and northern Luzon 
affected by flooding in the wake of Typhoon Pepeng/Parma and 
Tropical Storm Ondoy/Ketsana. 
¶4. (SBU) This new assistance is in addition to $1.9 million in 
grants and $400,000 in non-food items donated by USAID/OFDA in 
response to the crisis caused by Tropical Storm Ondoy.  These funds 
will support priorities in water, sanitation and hygiene activities, 
additional non-food items, and logistical support for the delivery 
of food.  The on-site OFDA military liaison is focusing on 
determining the extent of damage in northern and central Luzon. 
Given the water and sanitation concerns, OFDA is considering sending 
a specialist to address these issues. 
¶5. (SBU) The Consular section reports 1,999 registered Americans 
living in hard-hit Pangasinan province.  Staff has received two 
requests for aid during Tropical Storm Pepeng/Parma, one each from 
Pangasinan and La Union provinces.  Staff has advised them to 
proceed to the nearest evacuation centers as the Embassy cannot 
provide helicopters or other means of rescue.  Consular staff 
 
MANILA 00002149  002 OF 002 
 
 
informed the National Disaster Coordinating Council and local 
authorities about these families. 
----------------- 
Weather Prognosis 
----------------- 
¶6. (SBU) Tropical Storm Parma/Pepeng's center has moved west of 
Luzon and is predicted to continue moving in that direction.  It is 
likely to bring one more day of rain to areas of northwest and 
central Luzon today before moving further west towards China's 
Hainan Island.  Tropical Depression 21 is now north of Guam and is 
predicted to continue moving north, meaning it would not threaten 
the Philippines. 
 
Bassett