Palace: MCC grant should be aligned with Duterte admin's agenda

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Sunday hailed the inclusion of the Philippines in the list of countries that may receive a grant from a US foreign aid agency but stressed that any assistance should be aligned with President Rodrigo Duterte’s agenda.

 

The Millennium Challenge Corp. (MCC), which aims to support developing countries that promote good governance, recently announced that the Philippines is one of the candidates for compact eligibility for fiscal year 2018.

 

The MCC will assess the country’s eligibility based on indicators like demonstrated commitment to just and democratic governance, economic freedom and investments in its people, and the opportunity to reduce poverty and generate economic growth.

 

“We acknowledge and welcome the decision of the United States Millennium Challenge Corp to extend assistance to the Philippines after the first grant ended in May 2016,” Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said in a statement.

 

READ: MCC mulls second aid package to Philippines

 

While Abella claimed that MCC had already decided to extend assistance to the Philippines, the aid agency has not made any announcement about the country’s eligibility.

 

The US Embassy has clarified that being declared as a candidate for compact eligibility does not mean that a country is already eligible to receive the MCC grant.

 

Abella, nevertheless, credited the Duterte administration’s socioeconomic agenda for the Philippines’ inclusion in the list of candidate countries.

 

“This is a recognition of the efforts of the Duterte administration – through its ten-point socioeconomic agenda – to continue and maintain macroeconomic policies while investing in human capital development in health and educational systems and improving social protection programs to protect the poor,” the presidential spokesman said.

 

“While we are happy with this new development, our economic managers would study the conditions set by the MCC if these are aligned with the President’s priority agenda,” he added.  

 

If the Philippines secures the MCC grant, it would be the second time for the country to receive the assistance. The first grant, worth $434 million, was approved by the MCC in 2011.