THE Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) yesterday said the United States has notified the Philippines of its decision to exempt part of its security assistance from the suspension order on all foreign aid issued by US President Trump last month.
The Biden administration last year announced a $500-million assistance to the Philippines, which Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr has said will help deter Chinese aggression in the South China Sea.
Then-US Defense Secretary Lloyd said the “once-in-a-generation investment” would help modernize the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine Coast Guard, and will be on top of the $128 million that the Biden administration requested to fund projects under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).
The DFA did not say how much of the $500-million aid was exempted from the freeze order but a Reuters report earlier said it was $336 million.
The report said the Trump administration released $5.3 billion in previously frozen foreign aid, mostly for security and counternarcotics programs. Trump ordered a 90-day pause on foreign aid shortly after taking office on January 20.
“The Philippines has been informed of the waiver issued to a portion of the US foreign military financing for the Philippines,” said the DFA in a statement.
It also said the decision of the US government is a testament to the commitment of the two nations to their long-standing alliance.
“Both countries are committed to the treaty alliance and to efforts to further strengthen our defense cooperation and interoperability,” said the DFA.
The DFA assured the US of continued engagement on matters involving shared interests.
