Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (R) walks past as soldiers carry boxes of supplies for the landslide victims in Manila February 18.(Xinhua/AFP photo)

    MANILA, Feb. 18 (Xinhuanet) -- International aid and donations have been pouring into the Philippines after a landslide disaster buried a village in the province of Southern Leyte on Friday.

    The United Nations, China, the United States, Japan, Australia and some other countries have pledged to provide assistance in material, cash, equipment and rescue personnel.

    Hundreds, if not thousands, are believed to have been killed in the landslide which swallowed the entire Guinsaugon village of Saint Bernard township in southern Leyte. Rescuers so far only found 57 survivors out of some missing 1,500 people.

    The Chinese government has decided to offer 1 million U.S. dollars worth of emergency relief, said the Chinese Ministry of Commerce on Saturday. The relief fund includes 250,000 U.S. dollars in cash and 750,000 U.S. dollars in relief materials.

Philippine rescuers load the relief goods in Manila, Feb. 18. (Xinhua/AFP photo)

    Presidential Assistant for Eastern Visayas Vic Domingo said the UN released 50,000 U.S. dollars and medicines while the United States Agency for International Development donated 2.9 million pesos (55,770 U.S. dollars) for the relief efforts.

    President Arroyo said the UN also dispatched a disaster assessment and coordination team to facilitate international assistance.

    Malaysia is sending two C-130 planes with 60 medical and engineering personnel each to help in the rescue of the victims. Singapore is also providing manpower along with Japan, which is also giving food, medicine and other supplies, Domingo said.

Philippine soldiers carry relief goods to the landslide-hit area in Philippines, Feb. 18. (Xinhua/Reuters photo)

    Instead of participating in the military exercises, the U.S. Navy deployed two of its ships to Leyte and 17 helicopters to assist in the rescue operations.

    Arroyo Saturday thanked the international community for the assistance and called on all Filipinos as well to contribute whatever they could to help the victims.

    "These are the times that try our souls. The nation must join hands and embrace the survivors as if they were family. It is our moral obligation and national character to rise up and give comfort to our fellow citizens in this terrible hour of need," she said. Enditem