DESPITE human rights issues hounding the drug war, the United States Agency for International Development (Usaid) assures that it will continue to work with the Philippine government. “We do not condition our assistance,” emphasized Gloria Steele, Usaid acting assistant administrator for Asia based in Washington, D.C. “We work with the Philippine government and the communities and universities based on what the needs are,” said Steele. “There is nothing political about it,” added Steele, who previously served as Usaid mission director in the Philippines. According to Steele, Usaid has not terminated any of its programs since President Duterte assumed office last year and verbally attacked then US President Barack Obama for criticizing his administration’s war on drugs. Steele aid Usaid will continue its partnership with both national government agencies and local governments in addressing maternal and child health, education, disaster resiliency, climate change adaptation, challenges in trade, and human trafficking. Steele also disclosed that Usaid currently does not have any resources that can support Duterte’s drug war. However, she said that the Department of Health discussed possible partnership in terms of creating drug rehabilitation facilities. (PR)
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