Palace optimistic on continued US funding despite foreign aid freeze

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. remained optimistic about the future of US assistance to the Philippines despite the recent freeze on foreign aid ordered by President Donald Trump.

While he declined to comment on the issue for now, Marcos emphasized Washington’s reaffirmed commitment to Manila, citing US Secretary of State Marco Antonio Rubio’s reference to their “ironclad alliance.”

Budget Secretary Amenah “Mina” Pangandaman echoed this sentiment, noting that while the US has ordered a 90-day freeze on foreign assistance, there is still a possibility that aid may continue after a review of its effectiveness.

The Philippines, she said, receives substantial support from the US through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) but will have to wait for Trump’s final decision.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo also underscored the importance of US-Philippines cooperation, particularly in critical areas such as education, global health, and disaster risk reduction.

While acknowledging the positive impact of US-funded projects, Manalo stressed that the Philippine government would refrain from commenting on Washington’s internal review of its aid programs, including USAID.

The US State Department recently issued a “stop-work” order on all existing foreign assistance and halted new aid initiatives. This move led to the closure of USAID’s Washington headquarters on February 4, following reports that billionaire Elon Musk had influenced Trump’s decision to end the agency’s operations.

Despite these developments, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) confirmed that Manila and Washington are exploring the possibility of a meeting between Presidents Marcos and Trump in the near future. TRACY CABRERA