How do the USAID programs work in the Philippines?
The U.S. Embassy in Manila consults extensively with the Philippine Government, the NGO community, the private sector, the donor community and other stakeholders to develop a U.S. country assistance strategy usually for a five-year period. The U.S. Embassy then formulates a Mission strategic plan that proposes how the assistance will be used and the levels of funding needed two years in advance. This plan is reviewed by the Department of State and USAID headquarters in Washington, D.C., and becomes the basis for a budget which is incorporated into the President’s annual foreign assistance bill submitted to the U.S. Congress. Once the bill is passed, the funds are obligated mainly into negotiated multi-year bilateral assistance agreements with the Government of the Republic of the Philippines, or directly to some contracts and grants where USAID direct obligation in accordance with the Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement between the two countries is deemed more appropriate.
