DOH urged to come up with impact assessment on USAID funding freeze
At A Glance
- Akbayan Party-list Rep. Perci Cendaña on Saturday, March 1, called on the Department of Health (DOH) and other agencies to come up with an impact assessment on the US Agency for International Development's (USAID) funding freeze to the Philippines.
Akbayan Party-list Rep. Perci Cendaña on Saturday, March 1, called on the Department of Health (DOH) and other agencies to come up with an impact assessment on the US Agency for International Development's (USAID) funding freeze to the Philippines.
Cendaña said the government should not just a turn a blind eye on Washington's move.
"Importanteng mapag-aralan natin kung paano sasaluhin ang mga nabinbing programa. Buhay ang nakasalalay dito (It is important to take a look at how the agency will take over the suspended programs. People's lives depend on this)," he said.
The lawmaker said that almost half of People Living with HIVs in the country depend on USAID. So he asked: What is DOH's plan?
"This is a looming healthcare emergency," he warned.
In 2024, the USAID gave $6.925 million for tuberculosis and $6.68 million for the Philippines' HIV and AIDS program, Cendaña noted.
The funding helped 53 percent of Filipino PLHIVs stay on life-saving treatment, and made it possible for 70 percent of Filipino key populations to take HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), he added.
There was a resolution proposed by Akbayan, which urged government agencies affected to mobilize resources for priority programs and develop transition and sustainability plans to continue them using government funds.
"Kulang na kulang na nga ang budget natin para sa HIV and AIDS, mas lalo pa ito nabawasan. Kung wala tayong gagawin, saan na tayo pupulutin (Our budget is already lacking for HIV and AIDS, and the funding for it will decrease even further. If we do not act on it, where are we going to end up)?" he asked.