PH prefers sustained trade ties with EU – Palace

The Philippines would rather sustain trade relations with the European Union (EU) than accept grants with conditions that undermine the country’s sovereignty, a Palace official said Friday.

Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella argued that the country refuses to become a “mendicant” by always depending on foreign assistance.

“We’re always open to the offer of constructive advice…we’re also very, very open to trade, and not so much to aid and grants with conditions,” Abella said during a Palace news conference following the President’s refusal to accept EU grants with strings attached.

“If certain conditionalities are tied to the aid and grant, we must respectfully decline as we do not wish to subject ourselves to monitoring or be dictated to. That’s apparently the position of the President at this stage,” he added.

Abella, however, could not yet say if the government would also reject any EU aid for the rebuilding efforts in Marawi City.

“I don’t know if it specially has to do with that,” the Palace official said. “It all depends on conditionalities that are being given but one thing is sure – we are of course open to trade,” he added.

Asked if the country could afford to reject the foreign aid intended to rehabilitate war-torn Marawi, Abella acknowledged that the country has a “lot of needs” but the President’s position on foreign aid with conditions still stands.

“The nation is quite challenged in many areas but the President again and again underlined that we are not meant to be mendicants, and that we are not to compromise the sovereignty of the nation,” he said.

The President recently said he was not inclined to accept grants from the EU for supposedly disrespecting the country’s sovereignty. He claimed the country could survive without the foreign aid that came with certain conditions.

“That’s very stupid of some public officials to talk of aid as if it is a matter of survival of our country if we do not accept it,” Duterte said.

Former Senator Edgardo Angara, however, clarified that the country and the EU have already reached a “democratic” agreement on how to facilitate foreign aid.

“We agreed on a formula that the project to be funded by their grant will be our choice through NEDA (National Economic and Development Authority). If they want to revoke or cancel it, it will only be upon mutual consultation. That’s acceptable to us,” he said.

“Because the President was right, why would you give aid that has conditionality,” he added.