Philippine marines secure family food packs delivered by CV-22B Ospreys assigned to the 353rd Special Operations Wing in Basco, Philippines, on July 30, 2025. (Brittany Russell/U.S. Air Force)
American forces have flown food and other supplies to northern Philippines communities affected by recent typhoons, tropical storms and monsoon rains, according to U.S. State Department and Marine Corps officials.
Marine and Air Force Ospreys and Air Force MC-130J airlifters recently delivered “life-saving relief items to communities in Northern Luzon,” the U.S. Embassy in Manila said in a statement on its website.
The death toll from recent heavy rains and tropical cyclones stood at 37 on Friday, according to the state-run Philippine News Agency.
Following a request from the Philippine government, the Ospreys flew more than 600 family food packs and emergency relief items from Clark Air Base on Luzon to Basco, Batanes, on Wednesday and Thursday, the embassy said.
The Batanes — an island group in the Luzon Strait between Taiwan and the Philippines — have hosted U.S. forces during military exercises in recent years.
In October, Marine Rotational Force-Southeast Asia, at the start of a six-month deployment to the region, delivered aid to Batanes following Super Typhoon Krathon.
A U.S. airman assigned to the 353rd Special Operations Wing prepares to unload family food packs in Basco, Philippines, on July 30, 2025. (Brittany Russell/U.S. Air Force)
The embassy said operations to deliver 5,700 additional food packs to affected areas will continue in the coming days.
U.S. aircraft and personnel remain ready to assist the Philippine military in delivering more aid, the statement added.
“The United States stands shoulder to shoulder with our Filipino allies, especially in responding to disasters,” U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson said in the statement. “We are grateful to the combined relief and rescue teams who have been working tirelessly on the ground to deliver emergency assistance to affected residents.”
U.S. Marines deployed four MV-22B Ospreys with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 363 and other personnel from Australia to support the relief mission, Marine Rotational Force-Darwin said in a news release Thursday.
The 2,500-strong force has participated in four exercises in the Philippines since beginning its six-month annual rotation to northern Australia in the spring.
The Marines are working alongside Air Force CV-22B Ospreys assigned to the 353rd Special Operations Wing at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, and Philippine air force aircraft, according to the release.
“We’re fully aligned with our Philippine counterparts and committed to supporting their lead in this lifesaving mission,” said rotational force commander Col. Jason Armas. “Our aircraft and Marines are here to support the Philippine government’s mission to deliver urgent aid to those in need.”
Since deploying the Ospreys on Saturday, U.S. troops have coordinated with Philippine government and military agencies to plan missions and stand ready to position supplies in storm-affected areas, the release said.
