Philippines not affected by USAID freeze, funds projects independently

An official from the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) stated on Monday that the Philippines would not be directly impacted by the USAID freeze, as the country can provide funding for some projects previously supported by USAID.

Rosemarie Edillon, NEDA Undersecretary, noted that technical assistance previously provided by USAID could now be sourced from alternative development partners and studies funded by USAID can continue with government-provided funding.

Edillon highlighted a shift in the Philippines' dependency on USAID, emphasizing current independence compared to past reliance for school building projects and other initiatives.

She clarified that while some foreign projects of USAID were placed on hold earlier this year due to President Trump's 'America First' policy, the Philippine government is still continuing with studies supported by USAID with input from willing partners.

The US State Department issued a 'stop work' order last month and paused new aid following President Donald Trump's directive to review foreign aid allocation.