‘PH ready to protect autonomy from undue interference’

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MANILA — The Philippines will reject grants from European Union that will allow it to interfere in the country’s affairs, Malacañang has declared.

“The President has approved the recommendation of the Department of Finance not to accept grants— and this is not necessarily humanitarian aid— from the EU that may allow it to interfere with the internal policies of the Philippines,” Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said in a press briefing on Thursday.

“These grants pertain to particular projects or programs that have the potential of affecting the autonomy of the country,” Abella added.

Abella said he assumed regularity in existing EU-funded programs in the Philippines, “unless it’s specifically objected to.”

The country remains open to humanitarian and other kinds of aid from the EU, according to Abella.

“The Philippines reserves the right to accept loans and grants that help attain its objectives of promoting economic development, inclusiveness, and reducing poverty, attaining peace within its borders and with its neighbors, and fostering a a law abiding society,” he said.

“It also reserves the right to respectfully decline offers that do not achieve these goals and offers that allow foreigners to interfere with the conduct of its internal affairs,” he added.

He did not specify which proposed grant triggered the DOF recommendation to reject certain conditional grants.  SFM/rga