The Philippines will not be significantly affected by United States President Donald Trump’s directive to freeze and review all foreign assistance, according to National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Undersecretary Rosemarie Edillon.
Edillon reassured that the Philippine government can seek aid from other international development partners should the need arise. She was responding to concerns over Trump’s order to halt and reassess the foreign aid provided by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), including support extended to the Philippines.
“Our situation today is different from what it was in the past. Previously, we relied on USAID even for school buildings,” Edillon stated during a press briefing in Malacañang on Monday.
“Now, we are no longer in that position. Most of the aid we receive is focused on technical assistance, which we can easily source from other development partners,” she added.
The US government has initiated a 90-day review of USAID’s foreign aid programs. Edillon emphasized that the Philippine government would need to await the review’s outcome, as it could influence ongoing and future USAID-funded projects in the country.
“We will have to wait until the issue is resolved. However, ongoing technical assistance initiatives are continuing,” she noted.
Despite the freeze, some USAID staff in the Philippines remain engaged in providing technical assistance.
“We maintain a good relationship with USAID personnel. Many of them continue to offer valuable inputs out of goodwill,” Edillon said.
The US State Department issued a “stop-work” order on January 24, halting all existing foreign assistance programs after President Trump mandated a review to ensure aid allocations align with his administration’s foreign policy objectives.
While the review is underway, the Philippine government remains optimistic about its ability to secure alternative sources of development assistance to sustain its projects and initiatives.
