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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider PH working on education, health aid from US apart from security assistance—envoy

PH working on education, health aid from US apart from security assistance—envoy

Published Feb 25, 2025 05:42 am

After announcing the exemption of the United States military aid to the Philippines from the global aid freeze by the Trump administration, Philippine Ambassador to Washington Jose Manuel “Babe” Romualdez said that they are now working on continued health and education assistance from its oldest ally.

Babe_US.jpegPhilippine Ambassador to Washington Babe Romualdez raises a toast to US President Donald Trump and his administration. (Photo from Amb. Romualdez via X post)

The ambassador disclosed this during an interview on Tuesday, Feb. 25, over Radyo 630, wherein he also said that the Philippines is hopeful that it will receive more military aid from Washington.

He explained that he’s hopeful even the assistance for health and education, which the Philippines has already sent a position paper for, will get a waiver because the programs are “important part of what they call their soft power influence on countries.”

“For us (the Philippines), there will be no major changes. We are hoping na mas malaki pa ang makukuha natin (we will get bigger aid) because we are really pushing that we modernize our Armed Forces as quickly as possible because of the challenges that we have been facing here in the Indo-Pacific region,” he said.

“Simpleng simple lang ang linya natin sa kaibigan natin sa US Congress: Kung malakas ang ating Armed Forces eh pwede talaga tayo maging partner ng US kasi learning from past experience (And our message to our friends in the US Congress is very simple: If our Armed Forces are strong, we can be a true partner of the US as we learned from past experience),” the envoy added, citing the situation in Ukraine.

Romualdez also confirmed what the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) earlier said about Washington’s exemption of its military aid to the Philippines from the foreign aid freeze.

The ambassador further explained that the United States is looking at its aid for all countries, but Manila “is very important more than ever now to the United States because not only of our relationship but for their own interest that we remain within the realm of influence of the United States in the Indo-Pacific region.”

On Monday, Feb. 24, DFA spokesperson Ma. Teresita Daza confirmed that Washington has exempted a portion of its military assistance to the Philippines from the global aid freeze.

“The Philippines has been informed of the waiver issued to a portion of the US foreign military financing for the Philippines," the official said.

"Both countries are committed to the treaty alliance and to efforts to further strengthen our defense cooperation and interoperability," she added.

Upon assuming the presidency in January 2025, US President Donald Trump ordered a pause on US global foreign assistance to give way to a review to determine if the programs are aligned with his foreign policies.

However, he also issued waivers on certain foreign military aids and critical humanitarian assistance.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also earlier reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to its alliance with the Philippines in his first in-person meeting with DFA Secretary Enrique Manalo.

Related Tags

military assistance PH-US alliance Donald Trump Jose Manuel Romualdez
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