(Eagle News) — The Philippines has opted to temporarily withdraw its application from a United States aid agency, Malacañang said on Tuesday.
“We have opted to withdraw from the second Millennium Challenge,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said.
According to Roque, the government would “focus instead on the rebuilding of Marawi,” denying the decision was linked to Duterte’s allegations of foreign interference.
“We will apply some other time,” Roque said.
He noted that any MCC project funding would have required matching funds from the government.
The Millennium Challenge was created by the US Congress in 2004.
The corporation said on its website that it has invested more than $13 billion worldwide to support anti-corruption projects, as well as land rights, agriculture, education, energy, health, transportation and water supply.
The first Philippine compact was used for projects to reduce tax evasion, for building roads and for small-scale projects designed to improve the lives of the rural poor. (With a report from Agence France Presse)