LGBTQ+, HIV healthcare NGOs limit operations after US freezes foreign aid

By Ian Trinidad

Several Philippine-based non-governmental organisations (NGOs), focusing on LGBTQ+ and HIV/AIDS healthcare, announced they are limiting their operations after the United States government issued a memorandum freezing almost all foreign aid.

On January 25, the US State Department issued a “stop-work” executive order on almost all foreign assistance funded by the US Agency for International Development.

This happened after President Donald Trump ordered a 90-day pause pending a review of its consistency with his foreign policy, halting every foreign aid except emergency food assistance, as well as military financing for Israel and Egypt, Reuters reported.

Services affected include the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, which provides support to combat HIV/AIDS by providing countries with test kits, antiretroviral therapy (ART), pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and others.

Services affected

LoveYourself Inc, an NGO that provides support on sexual health, trans healthcare and mental health, announced on Wednesday that several of its services, including free PrEP, self-testing kits and awareness campaigns have been affected by the US government’s order. 

Earlier on Tuesday, Transmaculine Philippines said the funding for the country’s first trans community centre, TANGGAP, is now under review and “all planned events and bookings are cancelled under further notice”.

Zamboanga-based Mujer LGBTQ+, which organises “human rights caravans” in Mindanao, said through Mamser that the US funding stop forced them to immediately stop their 15 caravans and lay off three staff in charge of the programme.

“We didn’t have time for us to smoothly transition towards termination. It came without a warning,” Mujer LGBTQ+ director of communications Rhadem Musawah said.

Stay operational

Despite the aid freeze, the NGOs said they are determined to stay operational.

LoveYourself clarified that essential services like free HIV testing and treatment, as well as its community-led trans health centre, will still be operational, but PrEP and self-testing kit deliveries will now have a fee.

Transmasculine PH executive director Dean Matthias Razi Alea also said the organisation will still provide services to those who want to use the TANGGAP Trans Hub as they find other funding opportunities.

Minimise impact

Lastly, Musawah said Mujer LGBTQ+ is trying to minimise the impact of the aid freeze, but also told Mamser that the caravan programmes may eventually be terminated.

The aid freeze will affect the Philippines’ efforts against HIV, which has seen an “alarming” rise in the number of cases in the last 10 years. 

According to the latest estimates from the Department of Health, the number of people living with HIV (PLHIV) in the Philippines is expected to be around 215,000 by the end of 2024.

Of the estimated number of PLHIV, 63% or 131,335 cases have been diagnosed or laboratory-confirmed.

READ NEXT: NFL news: Kansas City Chiefs to face Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX