US affirms continued aid for Mindanao dev’t

From the Daily Tribune (May 27): US affirms continued aid for Mindanao dev’t

Funding which estimates to $100 million heavily focused on Mindanao development will continue as programmed, said United States Charges d’ Affaires Michael Klecheski Thursday night.

“We have no indication that there is any change in programs. We focus a tremendous amount, and I at least do not know of any plans to change anything,” he said in an interview at the sidelines of a US Agency for International Development’s (USAid) event in Makati.

According to the official, USAid is mainly procuring funds to environmental and fishing programs.

As revealed by the US Embassy, USAid’s P800-million project for the past five years has successfully worked with national and local governments, the private sector and local communities to conserve marine biodiversity, enhance ecosystem productivity, and improve fisheries and livelihoods in the Philippines.

“In partnership with the Philippine government, the ECOFISH (Ecosystems Improved for Sustainable Fisheries) project improved biodiversity conservation in eight critical locations, ensuring that Filipinos, both today and in the future, benefit from productive fisheries and the robust ecosystem services that healthy marine environments provide,” Klecheski said during his speech.

But among others, Klecheski said Washington also supports education projects focused in Mindanao.
“We are doing a lot. I know for the country it’s $100 million.”

As Mindanao faces an ordeal with an ongoing clash between Maute group and government forces, US expressed solidarity with the Philippine government.

“The United States will continue to provide support and assistance to Philippine counterterrorism efforts.”

“The United States is a proud ally of the Philippines, and we will continue to work with the Philippines to address shared threats to the peace and security of our countries,” it said in a statement.

US denounced the Maute group’s terror activity in Marawi City, saying Washington “condemns” the violence perpetrated by these ISIS-linked terrorist group.

“These cowardly terrorists killed Philippine law enforcement officials and endangered the lives of innocent citizens.”

Meanwhile, despite situation in Southern Philippines, Klecheski cleared that President Donald Trump’s scheduled visit to the Philippines for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit in November will push through as planned.

“He has announced that he is coming and we’re expecting it to come. You know this is for Asean. We have nothing to change that,” he added.

He explained that for Washington Asean is a “big deal.”

“To put it in simple terms, and he has announced that he is coming, usually, presidents do not announce that far in advance that they’re gonna come so we’re actually very impressed and it shows that Asean is important, that the Philippines is important to our president,” he added.

Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman Robespierre Bolivar also told The Tribune that despite the Marawi clash, scheduled Asean meet with dialog partners “remains as is.”

http://www.tribune.net.ph/nation/us-affirms-continued-aid-for-mindanao-dev-t