The Department of Education in the Philippines is facing potential disruptions to important programs due to President Trump's decision to suspend funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAid). This move could impact projects worth $94 million (P4 billion) focused on improving literacy, numeracy, and social-emotional learning for young students, as well as initiatives supporting alternative learning systems, learners with special needs, and gender development.
The Department of Education (DepEd) in the Philippines faces potential disruptions to several key projects worth approximately $94 million (P4 billion) due to US President Donald Trump 's decision to suspend programs under the United States Agency for International Development (USAid).
Education Assistant Secretary for Strategic Management Roger Masapol revealed in a radio interview that programs slated to be affected by the planned USAid shutdown include the ABC+ (Advancing Basic Education Plus) program, focused on enhancing literacy, numeracy, and social-emotional learning for kindergarten to Grade 3 students. Other programs at risk include Opportunity 2.0 for alternative learning systems, 'Improving Learning Outcomes for the Philippines' aimed at developing an assessment framework and policy, the Gabay project supporting learners with special needs, and the Urban Connect program promoting gender and development. Masapol emphasized that these programs align with the five-point agenda of Education Secretary Sonny Angara to improve the basic education program.While the USAid funding is suspended, Masapol stated that the DepEd will explore alternative funding sources, such as continuing funds, to sustain these projects. He expressed optimism that these initiatives would continue after the 90-day suspension period. However, he lamented the potential impact on programs already underway due to Trump's order. Masapol underscored USAid's longstanding role as a crucial partner in enhancing basic education programs in the Philippines. USAid, meanwhile, announced on Tuesday that it would place its staff worldwide on administrative leave, recalling employees from overseas postings. The agency stated that this leave would commence shortly before midnight on February 7th, affecting all USAid direct-hire personnel except those designated for mission-critical functions, core leadership, and specific programs. The move, part of Trump's and billionaire ally Elon Musk's efforts to curtail the US government, has sparked widespread concern and protests from Democrats and human rights organizations. USAid, a vital component of US foreign policy, funds health and emergency programs in approximately 120 countries, including the world's most impoverished regions. It is widely perceived as a crucial source of soft power for the United States in its global competition with rivals like China, where Musk has substantial business interests. Musk has publicly denounced USAid, labeling it a 'viper's nest of radical-left Marxists who hate America' and vowing to dismantle it. He has made unsubstantiated claims about the agency's activities, alleging that it conducts 'rogue CIA work' and even 'funded bioweapon research, including Covid-19, that killed millions of people.' The SpaceX and Tesla CEO, who holds massive US government contracts and was the primary financial backer of Trump's campaign, asserted that he had personally cleared this unprecedented action with the President. This assault on USAid coincides with long-standing narratives within the hard-line conservative and libertarian factions of the Republican Party that the United States squanders money on foreign aid while neglecting the needs of its citizens. USAid describes its mission as working to 'end extreme poverty and promote resilient, democratic societies while advancing our security and prosperity.' According to the Congressional Research Service, based on 2023 data, the top three recipients of USAid aid were Ukraine, Ethiopia, and Jordan. Other major recipients included the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Afghanistan, South Sudan, and Syria
Education Usaid Donald Trump Philippine Education Education Projects Funding Suspension International Development Roger Masapol Sonny Angara
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