Incoming USAID chief vows strengthening Philippines’ dev’t programs

MANILA, Philippines – The incoming United States’ aid director to the Philippines vowed to further strengthen the agency's development programs in the country.

The newly appointed Mission Director of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for the Philippines, Pacific Islands and Mongolia, Susan Brems, also reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to provide aid in the country’s programs by cooperating with Manila.

During Brems’s meeting with Philippine Ambassador Jose Cuisia at the Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C., Cuisia expressed gratitude for the financial and technical support given by the US through USAID.

Cuisia also applauded USAID’s continued support in judicial reforms, rule of law, innovation and technology, economic development, educational cooperation, and public health.

The two officials exchanged views on the Aquino administration’s conditional cash transfer program, which aims to lessen poverty with its welfare programs for selected individuals or families that meet a specific category.

Cuisia gave Breams a summary of the recent economic developments of the Aquino administration which include good governance efforts highlighting the respect to transparency and public accountability.

 “It was a great opportunity to discuss with Dr. Brems our government’s commitment to improving the lives of average Filipinos, as well as the social development objectives under the president’s leadership,” Cuisia said.

The newly appointed Brems formerly served as a mission director in Angola and Zambia.