THE Palace on Sunday welcomed the commitment of the European Union and the United Nations to continue giving aid to the Philippines in spite of President Rodrigo Duterte’s dare that they stop doing so.
“We welcome the steadfast commitment of the EU and the UN to the Philippines,” Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said in a text message to reporters.
“Our partnership go beyond differences in policies.”
Reports on Saturday said that despite being told by Duterte earlier this week that it “better choose purgatory because hell is filled up,” the EU is extending P9 billion in assistance to the country for energy-related measures.
The UN also has no plans to stop assistance despite constant drubbing from Duterte, who has said the Philippines will survive without foreign aid.
On Friday the EU and the Philippines’ Department of Energy launched the Access to Sustainable Energy Program, which is aimed at providing electricity to 90 percent of Philippine households through the maximized use of renewable energy.
“We see that the Philippines and the EU are sharing many objectives on issues such as climate change, sustainable energy, pro-poor agenda and trying to lift people out of poverty,” EU Ambassador Franz Jensen was quoted as saying in a press briefing in Manila.
Jensen said the P9-billion financing agreement will run for three to four years, depending on “how fast the money is being spent and being used by the communities”.
On Friday, UN Resident Coordinator and Development Program Resident Representative in the Philippines Ola Almgren was reported to have said relations between the world body and Manila remained undamaged.
“We need to look at the broader aspect of the Philippines’ role in the UN and the work that we do here to judge that,” Almgren said.
“I remain firm in my belief that the relationship will continue in as good a level as it has been in the past.”
Almgren said there was no way the UN would stop giving aid and expressed confidence “the partnership between the UN and the Philippines will remain strong as it has been as we go forward”.
“The Philippines is a member-state of the UN since the very beginning. It’s a question of what has been the contribution of the Philippines to the UN and that contribution has been fantastic ever since the beginning of the UN and even in recent years,” Almgren said.
Duterte has repeatedly lashed out at the United States, EU and UN over their criticism of his war on drugs.
On Oct. 3, he said President Barack Obama should “go to hell” following his criticism of his crackdown on illegal drugs that has seen thousands of suspected drug dealers and users killed.
