US notifies PH of security aid exemption in financing freeze – DFA

By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora, Philippine News Agency

“Both countries are committed to the treaty alliance and to efforts to further strengthen our defense cooperation and interoperability,” Daza said. (PCO file photo)

MANILA – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Monday confirmed that the United States has exempted its security aid to the Philippines from its pause on global foreign aid.

In a text message to the Philippine News Agency, DFA spokesperson Ma. Teresita Daza said Washington DC notified Manila that it issued a waiver to a “portion” of its foreign military financing for the Philippines.

The official did not confirm if the amount was USD336 million as reported earlier by Reuters.

“Both countries are committed to the treaty alliance and to efforts to further strengthen our defense cooperation and interoperability,” Daza said.

“We will continue to engage the US government on the importance of our bilateral work in supporting our shared goals and priorities,” she added.

Last year, former US Defense secretary Lloyd Austin III and State secretary Antony Blinken announced the grant of assistance worth USD500 million for the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine Coast Guard.

Reuters, in an exclusive dated Feb.

22, said the Trump administration released some USD5.3 billion in previously frozen foreign aid.

These exemptions, it said, were approved as of Feb. 13 before a US federal judge ordered the temporary halt in funding pause on programs that are in existence as of Jan. 19.

During a meeting in Germany on Feb. 14, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reaffirmed the value of the US-Philippines development cooperation.