Philstar.com tracks impact of Trump’s freeze order on USAID fund

CHEERS TO Philstar.com for checking the consequences of President Donald Trump’s stop-work order on United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for development work in the Philippines. 

Media reported the initial reaction of some Cabinet officials to this development, which downplayed the effect of the aid freeze on government projects. Philstar.com’s report countered this complacency and revealed the involvement of non-government organizations in filling the gaps in government’s basic services. Some of these not only supplement but directly provide for unserved development needs with the support of USAID. 

Funds on hold    

Citing data from USAID and the US State department, Philstar.com’s Cristina Chi listed 39 ongoing projects in the Philippines that the freeze order has already suspended. Chi said USAID and the State department committed PHP 4.05 billion to these projects in 2024, some of which would be sustained until 2029. 

Chi reported that in 2024, environmental protection was the highest funded sector with USD19.5 million in obligations. Basic education was second on the list with USD12.9 million, followed by HIV and AIDS prevention and control with USD6.68 million. 

Concerns on the ground

Chi talked to development workers, some of whom spoke on condition of confidentiality to describe the closure of clinics and community centers and the staff layoffs due to the uncertainty of funding. 

Some sources expressed their concern that this uncertainty could cloud the issue of funding beyond the 90 days allotted by Trump to review all foreign aid.

Chi also presented the persisting challenge to the country’s development sector that has not been discussed in the news. Rhadem Musawah, one of the leaders of the LGBT rights organization Mujer in Zamboanga City, told Chi that Trump’s order pointed to the inherent unsustainability of development work in the Philippines, as it largely depends on foreign aid. Musawah criticized the government for downplaying the effects of the freeze order, pointing to the immediate effect on grassroots programs that would be forced to suspend services in a matter of months. 

Chi cited the statement of Love Yourself, an organization that provides free HIV testing. Love Yourself challenged the government to “step up” and fund the programs that have been paused, including HIV self-testing and the distribution of pre-exposure prophylaxis.

Philstar.com’s account presented the hidden reality of the dependence on foreign aid of basic services such as health, which already traditionally gets a fairly large share in the national budget, and the reliance of government on non-government stakeholders to sustain these services. 

Sadly, lives being put on the line is far from an exaggeration. The media should follow up the story on the ground, calling attention to how government is working to fill the void in funding caused by Trump’s order.