By Lane Afable, News Editor
As the United States and the Philippines mark the 80th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2026, U.S. Embassy to the Philippines Chargé d’Affaires, a.i., Y. Robert Ewing and Philippine Secretary of Health Teodoro Herbosa signed a Joint Declaration of Intent on Health Cooperation on the other day.
Through the Trump Administration’s America First Global Health Strategy, said Joint Declaration of Intent (JDI) commits to further U.S. health cooperation with the Philippines – an important friend, partner, and ally.
The JDI establishes a framework for the Philippines to transition to greater autonomy and self-reliance in its health systems while strengthening the Philippines’ capacity to detect and respond to global health threats, including HIV, tuberculosis (TB), and other infectious diseases, and improve diagnostics and treatment.
Chargé d’Affaires Ewingalso announced a significant U.S. contribution to strengthen the Philippines’ fight against tuberculosis. This includes provision of P580-million ($10 million) worth of TB medicines and 12 ultraportable TB X-ray machines valued at P45.4 million ($783,000), and a Php14.5 million ($250,000) grant to the Philippines’ Veterans Memorial Medical Center to expand TB testing and treatment for Filipino veterans.
Chargé d’Affaires Ewinghands over $10 million in U.S.-provided medicines and 12 ultraportable TB X-ray machines to support the Philippines in its fight against tuberculosis.
These announcements built on decades of gains made through U.S. global health assistance, including the Php13.8 billion ($250 million) in U.S. foreign assistance through the Trump Administration’s America First Global Health Strategy announced in September 2025, addressing tuberculosis, advancing maternal health, and enhancing preparedness, detection, and response to emerging diseases and global health threats in the Philippines.
“The United States greatly values its longstanding partnership with the Philippine Department of Health, especially our work together on HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and global health security.
“Through this Joint Declaration, the United States continues to engage closely with the Philippine government and health partners to support the Philippines’ continued progress toward greater autonomy and self-reliance in its health programs, and to identify impactful and innovative approaches to advance lifesaving work on TB and global health security,” he added.
Through this JDI, the United States and the Philippines will negotiate a five-year Strategic Objective Agreement, advancing all three pillars of the Trump Administration’s America First Global Health Strategy that will save American and Filipino lives, increase the resiliency of the Philippine health system through coordinated co-funding, and foster collaboration with American commercial leaders in health technology and innovation to improve health outcomes.
The Philippines has a strong track record of making commitments with the United States and leveraging innovations in the shared fight against infectious diseases like TB and HIV.
The Philippine government’s efforts to enhance prevention, care, and innovation, including seeking new technology to counter these two diseases, are goals shared by the United States and are being advanced through this Declaration.
This Joint Declaration joins several Bilateral Memoranda of Understanding on Global Health Cooperation with recipient countries, driving progress around the world through the Trump Administration’s America First Global Health Strategy.
