The United Nations food agency has assured the continued top priority status and funding for the Philippines’ flagship school meals and food vouchers program amid uncertainties caused by President Donald Trump’s actions to freeze or cut back US aid across the world.
World Food Program Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific Samir Wanmali, citing a “shifting global funding landscape,” made the assurance in a meeting with Philippine Ambassador Neal Imperial on the sidelines of the First Regular Session of the WFP Executive Board.
WFP, the UN’s leading humanitarian organization, assists 80 million people in around 80 countries, delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience.
The meeting was held on February 18 at the WFP headquarters in Rome, where Imperial is the Philippine envoy.
Wanmali told Imperial that a shortfall resulting from Trump’s aid cutbacks for WFP’s program “will be minimal” and “can be filled by other donors.”
I am pleased to note that the seven billion peso WFP funding for the school meals and food stamp program will only be minimally affected by US funding cutbacks in multilateral institutions,”
“This means that thousands of Filipino children and their families will continue to benefit from the program this year and the next few years,” Imperial told GMA News Online via text message Tuesday.
Trump, who vowed to reduce US spending and focus on domestic problems, has ordered a 90-day freeze on America’s foreign assistance and has shut down the U.S. Agency for International (USAID) which could have a profound impact on global humanitarian programs.
Apart from continued financing of school meals and voucher programs, Wanmali told Imperial that WFP will continue its support for the Philippines’ emergency preparedness and response initiatives.
The WFP operates in the Philippines under the framework of the Country Strategic Plan for 2024-2028 and has earmarked $131.1 million to support programs on food and nutrition security, emergency preparedness and response, strengthening resilience against climate change and other shocks, and enhancing the delivery of social protection.
Apart from the U.S., other donors include Japan, the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Australia, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Korea, Canada, France, Emerging Donor Matching Fund (EDMF), OPEC Fund for International Development, and private donors.
