THE Philippines has decided that it will no longer accept assistance from the European Union (EU), said Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea.
The EU delegation in Manila said Thursday that the Philippine government informed it about its decision this week, putting at stake 250 million euros ($ 278.7 million) in new EU grants.
Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea said the Philippines came up with such decision to avoid interference from EU in the internal issues confronting the sovereign nation.
"Yes, [the Philippines no longer accepts grants from EU] to enable them not to interfere with our internal affairs. We're supposed to be an independent nation," he said in a text message.
The European Parliament has been considered by President Rodrigo Duterte as among his critics on his brutal war on illegal drugs.
In his impromptu speeches, the President repeatedly lashed out at EU and even dared them to pull out their assistance to the Philippines since it does not understand the magnitude of drug problem in the country.
Duterte had said the Philippines can live sans EU's assistance because it can depend on its other allied countries like China and Russia.
The European lawmakers had condemned the "many extrajudicial killings" in the country since Duterte waged his no-nonsense war on narcotics trade.
The EU had also called on Duterte to immediately release Senator Leila de Lima, who is currently detained due to alleged drug involvement.
It had warned that it may remove the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP+) or the full removal of tariffs on two-thirds of all product Categories if it sees no "any substantive improvement in the next few months" in the Philippines.
The Philippines is currently paying less or no duties on the exports to the EU.
Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez, in a text message, said the country does not want to lose the GSP+ trade agreement with EU, stressing that this is not considered as aid.
Lopez added that the current trade agreement mutually benefit both the Philippines and the EU.
"No, we don't want the current GSP+ to be affected. It's not grant they're commercial transactions that can mutually benefit both sides. EU should continue to engage the country," Lopez said.
"GSP+ provides better market access to our exporters but it allows cheaper products for EU consumers or cheap inputs for their manufacturers. EU investors in the country exports back to EU also benefit from the GSP+. It's a mutually beneficial arrangement," he added. (With AP/VoxPop Philippines)
