The Philippines will get a P3 billion ($60 million) foreign assistance funding from the United States, becoming the first country to receive foreign aid since US President Donald Trump took office earlier this year.
PH gets P3-B foreign assistance funding from US
Published Jul 23, 2025 03:59 pm
President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio meet in Washington, D.C., on July 21, 2025. (Photo from US Embassy in Manila)
This was announced by the US State Department after President Marcos’ meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
According to a statement from the US Embassy in Manila, the funding will be used “to support energy, maritime, and economic growth programs in the Philippines.”
“This is the US government’s first announcement of new foreign assistance for any country since the Trump Administration began its review and realignment of foreign assistance in January,” it said.
To recall, the US paused nearly all of its foreign aid programs as Trump pushes for an “America First” policy to realign its resources and focus on domestic issues.
Rubio also announced that the Department of State “intends to work with the US Congress” for the allocation of some P825 million ($15 million) “to catalyze private sector development in the Luzon Economic Corridor.”
“If approved, this funding will support investments in the areas of transport, logistics, energy, and semiconductors that will help create jobs and drive economic growth in the country,” the embassy said.
Aside from Rubio, Marcos also met with Trump and US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, reaffirming the ironclad alliance between the two countries and the US’ commitment to the decades-old Mutual Defense Treaty.
The President, who was the first Southeast Asian leader invited by Trump since his second term in January, was in Washington from July 20 to 22. He flew back to Manila on July 23 (PH time).