The exemption of the Philippines from a worldwide freeze on US foreign security aid affirms Manila’s “first-in-line” status in securing Washington’s interests in the Indo-Pacific, observers have said.
The Southeast Asian nation will reportedly receive US$5.3 billion from the Donald Trump administration, earmarked for security and anti-narcotics programmes.
Philippine foreign affairs spokeswoman Teresita Daza earlier this week confirmed Washington had notified her side of a “waiver issued to a portion of the US foreign military financing for the Philippines”.
Daza affirmed that the Philippines and the United States “remain committed to their treaty alliance and to efforts to further strengthen our defence cooperation and interoperability”.
Trump had ordered a 90-day pause on foreign aid shortly after his inauguration on January 20. In this period, all foreign aid programmes would be under review on whether they align with his “America First” agenda, including funding for humanitarian and health aid.
The exemptions for the region include US$336 million for modernising the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine Coast Guard, and US$870 million for programmes in Taiwan.
