A Filipino LGBTQ+ rights group condemns the Trump administration’s freeze on US foreign aid, highlighting the negative consequences for sexual health services, particularly for vulnerable populations.
An advocacy group has criticized the Trump administration’s decision to freeze US foreign aid to partner countries, arguing that it has negatively affected services for women, children, and LGBTQ+ individuals. The group also called on the Philippine government to reduce its dependence on US funding for healthcare. In a statement released on Saturday, LGBTQ+ rights group Bahaghari condemned the freeze’s impact, particularly on social services related to sexual health.
US foreign aid, channeled either directly to governments or through local advocacy groups and NGOs, helps fill gaps in services that may otherwise be unavailable. Programs aimed at youth, as well as health services like the distribution of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)—a critical medication for preventing HIV transmission—are among those impacted, said Bahaghari Chairwoman Reyna Valmores Salinas, quoted by ABS-CBN News. She added that affected organizations around the world are facing mass layoffs due to the abrupt loss of support. One such organization is LoveYourself, a sexual health clinic in the Philippines working to combat the country’s rapidly growing HIV epidemic. The clinic reported that the cost of providing PrEP and self-testing kits has increased due to the changes in US Policy. Salinas urged the Marcos Jr. administration to take action by increasing domestic healthcare funding and support to address these shortages. The Department of Health (DOH) has assured the public that the freeze’s impact will be “minimal.” Health Secretary Ted Herbosa mentioned that talks had already been underway for alternative arrangements with other middle-income countries before the freeze was implemented. He also emphasized that the shortfall could be covered through the department’s existing budget or loans
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