Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo is set to attend the Munich Security Conference in Germany from February 14 to 16, where he hopes to meet with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The anticipated meeting aims to deepen the cooperation between the Philippines and the United States, building on recent discussions between the two diplomats.
During a press interaction in Quezon City, Manalo expressed optimism about the upcoming dialogue with Rubio, emphasizing the importance of their previous conversation which focused on defense and economic collaboration. He stated, “I had a talk with Secretary Rubio and we had a very good conversation and it basically just reaffirms the cooperation in the areas of defense and economic cooperation.”
Manalo also mentioned the possibility of discussing the trilateral cooperation involving the Philippines, the US, and Japan. Additionally, he touched upon the impact of the US foreign aid freeze announced by the Trump administration, which has put a 90-day hold on aid worldwide, with exceptions for emergency food and military funding for Israel and Egypt.
While Manalo did not confirm whether he would address the aid freeze with Rubio, he noted the significance of USAID’s contributions to the Philippines, particularly in areas like education and disaster preparedness. Since 2010, USAID has invested over PHP22 billion (USD393.6 million) in disaster relief and early recovery efforts in the country.
The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs is still seeking clarity on how the US aid freeze might affect ongoing projects in the Philippines, reflecting the broader implications of US foreign policy decisions on international partnerships.